I don’t know their specific situation, but Walmart is often the only viable option for many lower population areas or late-night needs. A large part of Walmart’s expansion strategy is moving into a small town, then under-pricing all of their stuff at a loss. They keep selling things at a loss until all of the other local shops close, because they can’t compete with Walmart’s lower prices. Then once all of the local competition is run out of town, Walmart jacks their prices up because they’re the only option in town.

They’re also often one of the only grocers that stays open late. This means they’re often the only viable option for third-shift workers, because the alternative would be waking up at their equivalent of 2AM to go grocery shopping.

They actually did the first few times. Which is funny to me because my wife is very much a control freak. She did not think it was funny, though.

I have read stores getting rid of self checkouts because of this.

That's a good result if true. They'll have to keep employing humans.

I do know retail theft has skyrocketed the last 5 or so years.

Nobody should give any fucks whatsoever as long as it continues to be dwarfed by wage theft.

Also, there is zero fucking reason to let Walmart check your receipt or your bags. With a warehouse club like Costco it's written into the membership agreement, but a normal store has no authority to hold you, especially without probable cause. Exercise your goddamn rights, people!

I do know retail theft has skyrocketed the last 5 or so years.

Yeah the stores did that.

They knew self-checkout would be shoplifter heaven but they calculated that they saved more by cutting jobs. Then they cry for insurance and government payouts by pretending there is an epidemic of crime.

And now they're cutting back on the self-checkouts while not bothering to hire people back to work the registers lol. The lines are getting longer and longer.

they will even make me take out all the empty ones in my larger bag to prove I’m not stealing.

God, I would laugh so hard as I kept walking to my car.

I hope not here as self checkout was a massive improvement for being able to check out with a few items where I live. They also have people assigned and present at slef checkout and more staff roaming the store to answer questions and keep stuff organized compared to before self checkout was a thing. I get help finding things and out the door faster.

Sucks that they are doing a shitty implementation other placss.