What you need to know about Target's self-checkout

Target says self-checkout isn’t going anywhere — but customers aren’t so sure

May 5, 2025 - 18:36

What you need to know about Target's self-checkout

At first, many shoppers thought it was just their store. It appeared that some self-checkout stations were gone. Lines were longer. Employees were guiding every purchase through traditional lanes.

Multiple threads on the Target subreddit lit the fuse, with shoppers sharing reports of local stores removing self-checkout entirely. The comments quickly filled with frustration, as users across the country confirmed similar changes at their nearby Targets.

(People reported these changes, but Target denies them).

One shopper, u/likwidkool, described their experience just to buy a single item: “Took me almost a 1/2 hour. There was a group of people waiting and one girl running herself ragged. This definitely is not the better option.”

Another Reddit, u/No-Seaworth..., user told a different story: "My store already reduced the number of self checkouts. We currently use them as express lanes."

That leads me to my next question, what is really going on with Target's self check out lanes?

Target checkout lanes are stirring up confusion
Image source: Santiago/Getty Images

Target’s (not so new) new self-checkout policy

A company spokesperson from Target reached out to clear things up: "Target is not removing self-checkout. We offer it in the vast majority of our stores and have no plans to change this."

The spokesperson did go on to say that well over a year ago, Target did in fact change the policy.

The (not so new) policy limits the self checkout lanes to 10 items or less — essentially creating "express" lanes.

With that being said, why did Target make this policy change in the first place?

Part of the issue may be tied to growing concerns over retail theft. According to the National Retail Federation, retailers reported a 93% increase in the average number of shoplifting incidents per year in 2023 compared to 2019. Organized retail crime and store violence have made headlines, and Target has been one of the most vocal retailers sounding the alarm.

Target hasn't explicitly blamed theft for the new(ish) self-checkout policy, many shoppers believe it's part of a broader effort to reduce loss and tighten in-store operations.

And while the company denies the removal of self checkout lanes, I can't help but wonder why so many customers (and some employees) are reporting something different.

Target says self-checkout is here to stay

Target insists it isn’t removing self-checkout. And technically, that may be true.

But what customers are seeing in stores — blocked machines, roped-off lanes, long lines and stressed-out cashiers — tells a different story.

The result? Frustration that’s spreading faster than any official policy update.

Even if the rules haven’t changed recently, the customer experience has. And when perception doesn’t match the brand promise, trust erodes — quietly, but quickly.