Your next Target run may look a little different—here’s why shoppers are speaking out
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If you’ve walked into your local Target recently and noticed something missing, you’re not alone.
The familiar self-checkout kiosks that many have come to rely on are quietly disappearing from select stores.
For shoppers used to scanning at their own pace and skipping the line, this sudden shift has sparked confusion—and frustration.
So, what’s really happening behind the scenes, and why now?
In a move that has left many customers surprised, Target has reportedly removed self-checkout kiosks from all 2,000 locations, according to a report by The Daily Mail.
This comes just a year after the company committed to rolling out self-checkout across all stores, a strategy that mirrored efforts by competitors like Walmart.
Shoppers took to social media to voice their shock.
One person wrote, “The Target I live near completely got rid of self checkout. [I'm] expressing shock at how sudden and extreme this was”
Another added, “I will be devastated if this happens at my target. I exclusively use self-checkout anywhere that offers it.”
The reason? Retail theft. Target has been battling rising shrink, the industry term for inventory loss due to shoplifting, employee theft, or scanning errors.
Self-checkout, while convenient, has been identified as a major weak spot.
A Target employee commented, “High theft means the self checkout wasn't being used anyway.”
Another explained, “Our self checkout has been closed for months. It seems like theft from our store has gone way down because there is always armed security you have to get past at the front door.”
In response to these challenges, Target has ramped up anti-theft efforts, including:
Retail expert Neil Saunders told DailyMail.com, “Target's self-checkout policy has been through a lot of changes and has caused frustration for customers.”
He added, “The problem with Target is a lot of decisions are being taken centrally without proper thought about what they mean on the ground.”
In some cities, the issue has become so severe that entire Target stores have closed due to persistent theft.
Still, despite the uproar and reports of removals, Target denies making a full-scale change.
A company spokesperson clarified to The US Sun: “Target is not removing self-checkout. We offer it in the vast majority of our stores and have no plans to change this.”
That means while some stores may eliminate or restrict self-checkout, others will continue offering it as usual.
This store-by-store approach allows Target to respond to local theft rates and customer behavior.
Read next:
Have you noticed changes at your local Target or Walmart? Do you prefer scanning your own items, or are you ready to go back to staffed checkout lanes? Share your thoughts in the comments—your voice helps shape how stores adapt moving forward.
The familiar self-checkout kiosks that many have come to rely on are quietly disappearing from select stores.
For shoppers used to scanning at their own pace and skipping the line, this sudden shift has sparked confusion—and frustration.
So, what’s really happening behind the scenes, and why now?
In a move that has left many customers surprised, Target has reportedly removed self-checkout kiosks from all 2,000 locations, according to a report by The Daily Mail.
This comes just a year after the company committed to rolling out self-checkout across all stores, a strategy that mirrored efforts by competitors like Walmart.
Shoppers took to social media to voice their shock.
One person wrote, “The Target I live near completely got rid of self checkout. [I'm] expressing shock at how sudden and extreme this was”
Another added, “I will be devastated if this happens at my target. I exclusively use self-checkout anywhere that offers it.”
The reason? Retail theft. Target has been battling rising shrink, the industry term for inventory loss due to shoplifting, employee theft, or scanning errors.
Self-checkout, while convenient, has been identified as a major weak spot.
A Target employee commented, “High theft means the self checkout wasn't being used anyway.”
Another explained, “Our self checkout has been closed for months. It seems like theft from our store has gone way down because there is always armed security you have to get past at the front door.”
In response to these challenges, Target has ramped up anti-theft efforts, including:
- Placing select items behind locked cases
- Installing TruScan cameras at self-checkout
- Adding weight sensors to detect unscanned items
- Limiting self-checkout to 10 items per customer. This was implemented back March 2024.
- Allowing local stores to open or close self-checkout lanes based on need
Retail expert Neil Saunders told DailyMail.com, “Target's self-checkout policy has been through a lot of changes and has caused frustration for customers.”
He added, “The problem with Target is a lot of decisions are being taken centrally without proper thought about what they mean on the ground.”
In some cities, the issue has become so severe that entire Target stores have closed due to persistent theft.
Still, despite the uproar and reports of removals, Target denies making a full-scale change.
A company spokesperson clarified to The US Sun: “Target is not removing self-checkout. We offer it in the vast majority of our stores and have no plans to change this.”
That means while some stores may eliminate or restrict self-checkout, others will continue offering it as usual.
This store-by-store approach allows Target to respond to local theft rates and customer behavior.
Read next:
- Self-checkout shakeup—Here’s what’s changing!
- Why shoppers are turning away from Walmart’s self-checkout—what’s going on?
