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Tired of rampant shoplifting scaring away citizens and shoppers, Long Beach is trying to force stores to add staff and reduce dependence on self-checkout.
The beachfront city, with a population of around half a million, last month started requiring major food and pharmacy retailers to do more to stop theft. So far, the measures have led to a heated debate and longer lines.
Employees like the new law. The retail chains warn that the restrictions could backfire. Shoppers are confused.
The city’s “Safe Stores are Staffed Stores” ordinance is the first of its kind in the country. It requires large stores to increase the number of employees relative to self-checkout stands and also puts a limit on the number of items and types of goods that can be rung up at self-checkout.
It is the latest flash point in a national debate about how to handle what some see as an epidemic of shoplifting. This issue is affecting the quality of life for consumers who are tired of witnessing theft or dealing with measures to stop it, such as locked-up shelves.
The Long Beach ordinance will protect employees and shoppers from dangerous situations, said Matt Bell, the secretary-treasurer of UFCW 324, the union that represents grocery workers.
“The checkers and the cashiers are on the front lines of this,” he said. “It really is necessary to provide them safety and security and better staffing.”
The city said it passed the ordinance to “advance public safety and prevent retail theft,” citing “hostile and unsafe” conditions. Theft is common and underreported at self-checkout, according to the ordinance.
Rampant shoplifting has been a growing issue across the country, forcing stores to beef up security and lock up often-stolen items.
The National Retail Federation estimates that shoplifting incidents in the U.S. increased by 93% from 2019 to 2023. In 2023, retailers surveyed by the federation reported an average of 177 retail thefts per day.
The Long Beach regulations require that a large store have at least one staff member for every three self-checkout stations it uses. It sets a limit of 15 items per customer for self-checkout. Meanwhile, any items locked inside a case in the store can no longer be bought through self-checkout, according to the ordinance.
As the ordinance will force outlets to either hire more people or cut the number of self-checkout kiosks, the California Grocers Assn. warned that consumers could end up facing longer lines and higher grocery prices.
In response to the requirements, some Albertsons and Vons in Long Beach have closed their self-checkout lanes.
“We are currently unable to operate our self-checkout lanes … due to a new City of Long Beach ordinance,” said a sign for customers at a Vons in downtown Long Beach.
At a Target in Long Beach, five self-checkout stations were open and staffed by one employee. The store would need to add another employee to monitor self-checkout if it wanted to open more stations, according to the ordinance.
Francilla Isaac, a shopper who lives in the area, said she has seen closed self-checkout lanes and longer lines around the city.
“I use it a lot when I’m just here to get a few items,” Isaac said of self-checkout. “But all the stores are the same now, they have it closed.”
Groups representing grocers and retailers such as Target and Walmart said the ordinance will increase labor costs for employers, leading to higher price tags on the shelf. It will also reduce sales in stores where self-checkout has closed.
“These efforts will ultimately damage self-checkout,” said Nate Rose, a vice president at the California Grocers Assn. “We’re seeing that worst-case scenario play out where a number of grocers have decided it’s not worth it to keep the self-checkout lanes open.”
The California Retailers Assn. said retailers need freedom to decide on their own what is the most efficient way to deal with theft.
“The problem with the Long Beach ordinance is that it’s so constricting,” said Rachel Michelin, president of the association. “I think we’re going to see unintended consequences.”
Union leader Bell said grocery companies oppose the ordinance because they don’t want to hire more staff or increase their current staff’s hours. While stores may want to avoid hiring more people amid regular increases in minimum wage, they may find that being forced to hire more people actually boosts sales and efficiency.
“This should be better for the customers,” he said. “And it should actually improve profitability for the companies.”
Lisa Adams comes to Long Beach from Utah every month with her husband to sail on their boat. She misses easy access to self-checkout and hopes it will return soon, but they understand the need to tamp down on theft in the city.
She’s witnessed the theft problem firsthand.
“It was chaotic and loud,” she said. “This guy was pretending to ring his stuff up, and then he booked it for the door.”
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Caroline Petrow-Cohen
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