Members of New York City’s Council, leaning towards progressive ideologies, are contemplating an unusual approach to address the issue of retail theft. The proposed legislation seeks to impose restrictions that would impact customers and business owners rather than the perpetrators of such crimes.
Under this proposal, supermarkets and pharmacies across NYC would be required to enforce a cap of 15 items for customers using self-checkout lanes. Additionally, they would need to ensure that at least one employee is present for every three self-checkout lanes. Failing to comply could result in daily fines starting at $100 for these businesses.
“We have witnessed the repercussions of reducing the number of workers in these environments: an uptick in retail theft, diminished oversight, fewer protections for both employees and shoppers, and a general decline in safety,” explained Councilwoman Amanda Farias, a Democrat representing the Bronx, as she introduced the legislation on Tuesday.
Farias emphasized that the bill aims to safeguard quality jobs, support frontline workers, and provide a safer shopping experience for New Yorkers. She argued that the 15-item limit is essential for ensuring safety, accountability, and fairness in the checkout process.
The introduction of this legislation coincides with efforts from the Council’s progressive segment to rally support for another bill. This separate proposal, supported by socialist Mayor Shahana Mamdani, seeks to raise the city’s minimum wage from $17 to an unprecedented $30 per hour. Business leaders have expressed concerns that such a drastic increase could have severe financial implications for employers and potentially lead to significant job losses in NYC.
Farias’ proposed bill has already garnered co-sponsorship from four fellow Democrats: Gale Brewer and Harvey Epstein from Manhattan, Tiffany Cabán from Queens, and Shirley Aldebol from the Bronx.
However, critics such as Councilwoman Joann Ariola said those pushing the bill have their priorities wrong.
“This is typical backwards leftist logic,” the Queens Republican said. “Instead of actually trying to punish criminals, my colleagues are pushing to make life even harder for businesses and consumers.”
She also took aim at the separate push to nearly double the city’s minimum wage.
“Demanding that struggling businesses hire even more staff — and at $30 an hour, no less, if some on the Council have their way — is a surefire way to drive business out of NYC and make it even more difficult for New Yorkers to get their medicine and groceries,” she said.
If elected officials really want to help businesses crack down on shoplifters, they should put tougher laws in place to hold criminals accountable and help provide more police presence when needed, said Jason Ferraira, a board member of the National Supermarket Association, which represents more than 700 NYC and East Coast stores.
“I think this is a horrible idea,” said Ferraira, who has self-checkout at two of three Foodtown supermarkets he runs in Queens. “Self-checkout helps us because we don’t have to man as many registers, that’s true, but at the same time, it’s the benefit for the customer. People like options.”
“You don’t prevent shoplifting by making me have a certain ratio of employees,” he added. “People shoplift in a lot of different ways. Some shoplift through self-checkout. Some through the regular cashier checkout. Some people bypass the checkout altogether, and go straight to the floor.”
John Catsimatidis, owner of the Gristedes supermarket chain, said he believes the motivation for the new bill is preventing retail stores from replacing workers with self-checkout lines as the Council “tries to impose” a higher minimum wage.
“They think people are really stupid and don’t realize the real reason they’re doing this,’ said the billionaire, who also owns WABC-AM radio.
Gristedes doesn’t have self-checkout lines and likely never will because they’re easy targets for shoplifters, he added.
Shoppers also think the Dem plan is misguided.
The City Council should be dealing with more important things — like passing laws to combat crime — than trying to dictate how supermarkets should deploy staff or how many items customers can have on a self-checkout line, said Tommy Bayiokos, 60, who regularly shops at Key Food supermarket and CVS pharmacy.
“Government should stop being disruptors of businesses,” said the Brooklyn-based actor.
“If anything, force businesses to hire more security guards that will actually crack down on shoplifting, but it seems like no one is watching the store anymore. And what is the point of inconveniencing people who use the self-service line?”
A pandemic-era surge in shoplifting ravaged stores statewide — including in the city — and lead to $4.4 billion in losses during 2022 alone, spurring mass closures by CVS, Rite Aid and other major retailers.
Shoplifting in the Big Apple and across the state has steadily dropped since Gov. Kathy Hochul took steps in 2024 — including forming a $40 million statewide task force — to tackle the surge that caused big-box stores to start locking up goods.
Shoplifting crime rates in NYC are still well above pre-pandemic levels, rising 47% from February 2020 through June of last year, according to data compiled by Brennan Center For Justice.
