The Shift Project’s report on the impacts of self-checkout machines in the workplace provided crucial data for the legislative debate on the Retail Theft Prevention and Safe Staffing Act. This proposed legislation would include regulating workplace staffing levels when self-checkout machines are deployed. Our research showed that self-checkout machines were associated with greater understaffing, which in turn was associated with more negative (less respectful and more bullying) customer interactions. We presented our findings at a press conference alongside policymakers, union leaders, and grocery and retail workers.
