At a grocery store in Dorchester, a “worst case scenario” took place at the self-checkout machines.
“A member was intervening when a light was flashing and the customer ended up trying to steal and they ended up assaulting our member,” Jack Kenslea, the political director at United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1445, said at a hearing at the Massachusetts State House on Oct. 20. “She was on the ground for a few minutes before anyone even noticed.”
Kathy Oliver, who has worked at Stop & Shop for two years, said she sometimes gets death threats from self-checkout customers.
Those in support of self-checkout machines say they are more convenient for customers and help reduce corporation costs. But Kevin Brusseau, the Secretary-Treasurer of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, said at the hearing for the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure, that the increase of self-checkout machines has led to a decrease in staff, which in turn has led to a lack of safety as customers disrespect and bully workers.
With self-checkout machines, stores have decreased hours for workers and changed their responsibilities. Sometimes, he said, workers must manage as many as eight machines at a time. Not only does this result in a lack of safety, he said, but a rise in retail theft.USA TODAY Shopping: Shop sales in tech, home, fashion, beauty & more curated by our editors.
Brusseau and Kenslea were speaking in support of a new bill that would regulate self-checkout machines. Among other things, it would limit the amount of self-checkout machines a grocery store is allowed to have and require more manual checkout counters to be open.
Opponents say that the bill would be too restrictive, burdening staff and raising costs, according to reports. But Brusseau said the bill will “will reduce customer frustration, speed up the transaction and again, increase safety.”
What is the MA bill to regulate self-checkout machines?
S.237, filed by state Sen. Paul Feeney, D-Foxborough, would limit grocery stores to eight self-service checkout stations.
It would also require stores with self-checkout machines to have at least one manual checkout station operating for every two self-checkout stations.
It addresses employee responsibilities too, saying that employees cannot manage more than two self-checkouts at one time and that they must be relieved of all other duties when they monitoring a self-service checkout station.
Grocery stores to face penalties
The bill gives the Massachusetts Division of Standards the authority to enforce the bill’s restrictions, including a “penalty matrix” that imposes increasing fines for multiple violations made by the same grocery store at different locations.
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The fine for the first violation will be one full day of pay and benefits.
The bill notes that any Massachusetts resident could file a complaint with the Division of Standards to report a violation.
Source: https://www.capecodtimes.com/story/business/2025/10/30/grocery-store-self-checkout-ma-bill-safety/86964824007