Rhode Island is breaking new ground in the debate over self-checkout, becoming the first state to set labor requirements for supermarket kiosks as complaints from shoppers, particularly older customers, continue to mount.
Governor Dan McKee signed the measure into law last week, requiring supermarkets to station at least one employee for every three self-checkout machines.
The new rule is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027. Once in place, Rhode Island will be the first state in the country to mandate a staffing ratio for self-checkout areas, even as lawmakers in other states consider similar proposals.
Backers of the law argue that the added staffing will make the checkout experience smoother for customers while also helping stores respond more effectively to retail theft.
The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 328 (UFCW) has cited a Capital One report that estimated retailers in Rhode Island lost $244 million to theft in 2022.
Rhode Island may not be alone for long. California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio and Washington are among the states weighing comparable measures intended to curb shoplifting, according to USA Today.
The law does include limits on when the staffing mandate applies. Stores will not have to meet the requirement before 8am or after 8pm.
During busier daytime and evening hours, however, workers assigned to monitor self-checkout stations must remain focused on that area and cannot be given additional responsibilities, such as running traditional checkout lanes.
Rhode Island has become the first state to crack down on self-checkouts, forcing grocery stores to staff more lanes as older shoppers grow increasingly frustrated
The law will take effect on January 1, 2027, making Rhode Island the first state in the nation to impose a mandatory staffing ratio for self-checkouts as lawmakers elsewhere weigh similar restrictions
Governor Dan McKee signed the bill into law on Thursday, requiring supermarkets to assign at least one employee to every three self-checkout lanes
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Retailers that violate the law will first receive a written warning before facing financial penalties for repeat offenses at the same location.
Fines are capped at $500 per day and will be based on the wages for a four-hour shift at the highest hourly rate paid to retail clerks for each day a violation occurs.
The legislation marks another victory for the UFCW, which has also pushed to curb the use of electronic shelf labels and challenged pricing practices it argues are unfair as part of its Affordable Groceries and Good Jobs Campaign.
The staffing law is also the latest victory in the UFCW’s broader campaign against the rapid spread of automation in grocery stores.
Beyond self-checkouts, the union has been pushing lawmakers to regulate electronic shelf labels, arguing the technology could eventually pave the way for dynamic pricing, threaten retail jobs and raise privacy concerns.
The debate has intensified as retailers such as Walmart accelerate the rollout of digital price tags.
The retail giant recently announced plans to install the electronic labels in all 4,600 US stores by the end of the year.
Retailers like Walmart are under fire for their aggressive rollout of digital price tags as fears grow that grocery prices could be subjected to high-tech manipulation
Walmart has insisted the labels are ‘not a tool for surveillance pricing’ and said they simply provide a more efficient way to display prices while reducing the time employees spend replacing paper tags.
Union officials have warned that some electronic shelf labels are equipped with Bluetooth capabilities that can communicate with nearby devices, raising concerns about how the technology could be used if safeguards are not put in place.
Retailers have vigorously pushed back against those claims.
Walmart has insisted the labels are ‘not a tool for surveillance pricing’ and said they simply provide a more efficient way to display prices while reducing the time employees spend replacing paper tags.
The issue has also drawn the attention of lawmakers across the country, with several states considering restrictions on digital shelf labels amid concerns they could one day be used to facilitate dynamic pricing or personalized pricing for shoppers.
