Connecticut lawmakers are considering a proposal that would limit the use of self-checkout lanes at grocery stores, a measure that has drawn sharp opposition from retailers and business groups but support from labor unions that say the technology is hurting workers and customers.
Senate Bill 438, scheduled for discussion Tuesday by the legislature’s Labor and Public Employees Committee, would impose new rules on grocery stores that use self-checkout stations.
The bill would require stores to operate at least one staffed checkout lane for every two self-checkout stations, assign one employee to monitor every two machines, and limit locations to no more than eight self-checkout stations.
Retailers say those requirements would create rigid staffing mandates and raise operating costs in an industry known for thin profit margins.
Tim Phelan, president of the Connecticut Retail Network, said self-checkout systems provide customers with faster options, particularly for small purchases, and warned the bill would impose operational mandates that limit retailers’ ability to respond to demand.
Paul Amarone, senior policy director for job growth and manufacturing at the Connecticut Business & Industry Association, said the proposal would require stores to dedicate employees solely to monitoring self-checkout lanes even during slow periods, increasing labor costs and reducing flexibility.
The Connecticut Food Association also opposed the bill, warning the mandates could increase grocery prices and reduce convenience for shoppers by limiting stores’ ability to adjust staffing based on customer traffic.
Labor unions, however, argue that guardrails are needed as grocery retailers expand automated checkout technology.
In testimony supporting the bill, Travis Woodward, president of CSEA SEIU Local 2001, said self-checkout systems have created new challenges for workers, including increased theft, heavier workloads and more stressful interactions with customers.
Jose Anaya, organizing director for UFCW Local 371 and a longtime supermarket employee, said workers are often responsible for overseeing numerous machines at once, creating pressure on staff and making it easier for theft to occur.
The Connecticut AFL-CIO also backed the proposal, arguing that the rapid expansion of self-checkout has shifted more labor onto customers while reducing staffing at traditional checkout lanes. The organization said requiring more staffed registers would help ensure customer access to full-service checkout options and reduce theft and inventory losses.
Supporters say the bill does not ban self-checkout technology but would establish limits intended to preserve jobs, improve customer service and ensure adequate supervision of the machines.
If enacted, the law would take effect Oct. 1.
