Earlier this month, Walmart CEO and President Doug McMillon raised concerns about the potential closure of several Walmart locations due to financial losses caused by theft. In an interview with CNBC, he mentioned that current theft rates are higher than usual and stressed the need for corrective action.
In response to these statements, both Walmart employees and customers have highlighted the role of self-checkout registers as a significant factor contributing to theft in the stores.
An anonymous Walmart employee from Washington shared with Business Insider, “Theft is rampant at my store. If corporate executives visited our store and spoke with frontline employees dealing with theft, they would understand how to address the issue. The increasing use of self-checkouts with fewer staff has led to a spike in theft incidents.”
Similarly, a Walmart shopper from Ashland, Kentucky emphasized the need to hire more cashiers and reduce reliance on self-checkout machines. They stated, “The excessive use of self-checkout is resulting in significant losses for the store.”
According to reports, Walmart faces losses amounting to approximately 1% of its yearly revenue, totaling around $3 billion, due to theft by both customers and employees. While a Walmart spokesperson did not directly attribute these losses to self-checkout devices, they assured Insider that the company is actively seeking solutions to address the issue.
“While we do not discuss specifics of illegal activities in our stores, we are continuously exploring effective measures to safeguard merchandise, maintain affordable prices, and ensure a secure shopping environment for our millions of weekly customers,” the spokesperson stated.
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