9 Mistakes To Avoid In The Grocery Self-Checkout

Self-checkout kiosks were first introduced in 1984, popping up in only a tiny corner of the retail market. Today, they are commonplace — more than 96% of grocery stores offer this checkout option (though you won’t find any at Trader Joe’s). The machines were introduced as an efficient, non-traditional way for customers to quickly check out, reducing long lines and providing a convenient option for those purchasing only a few items. But the machines are beneficial for the stores as well, as they reduce labor costs.

Self-checkout is now the preferred method for many grocery shoppers, but customers, knowingly or unknowingly, do things that can cause delays, frustrate staff, and make the process less convenient for everyone. While the rules around self-checkout may vary by store and state, there is a simple etiquette code of conduct that is more or less universal. To ensure your grocery checkout goes as smoothly as possible for you and those around you, these are some of the most common mistakes you’ll want to avoid the next time you opt for self-checkout.

Currently, California is the only state that definitively prohibits the purchase of alcohol through self-checkout, though there is a bill proposing to reverse this law. However, regardless of which state you’re in, purchasing alcohol requires proof of identification, and if you scan alcohol at the self-checkout kiosk, a staff member will have to come to the station to validate your ID and scan the item for you. This slows down the entire checkout process for both you and the shoppers waiting in line behind you, especially if the store is busy.

The same principle can be applied to any item that may require age authentication, such as certain medications. Requiring the help of a staff member essentially negates the entire point of self-checkout, so if you do plan to purchase alcohol, you’re better off making your way to the regular cashier to save time for yourself and fellow shoppers.

Whether you’re in a rush or simply want to get your grocery trip done as efficiently as possible, it can be tempting to rush through the scanning process at self-checkout. After all, the main reason shoppers use this checkout method is to speed up the process. However, trying to scan your items through the machine too quickly can result in errors or mis-scanning. If the machine cannot keep up with your scanning, it might register the speed as a theft warning and make you pause until a staff member comes over to assist.

Additionally, you may mis-scan or double-scan an item if you’re moving too fast, which will require a staff member to come and remove the item from your order. In one frightening incident, a woman who used self-checkout at a Walmart in Texas was accused of stealing a $6 bag of Reese’s Pieces when the item didn’t scan properly. She was questioned by an officer and inevitably let go, but was ultimately banned from shopping at the store again, all due to the misunderstanding. That being said, slow down and listen for the beep after scanning each item and double-check the order at the end to ensure the machine catches each of your groceries.

One of the most well-known unspoken rules of the self-checkout process is that the machines are there for customers who are purchasing a few items quickly, not an entire week’s worth of groceries. Bringing a grocery cart full of items to self-checkout is not only frowned upon by shoppers and staff alike, but some stores are actually implementing strict limitations on how many items you can bring to the kiosk. For instance, stores like Target, Costco, and Walmart will not allow more than 10 or 15 items in some store locations.

These regulations are intended to ensure that the self-checkout process remains an “express” option for shoppers with few groceries and to limit theft. As one Redditor explains, ultimately, “The larger the order, the greater the chance that you will need an override type assistance,” which slows down the process for everyone. And it appears most shoppers agree. In a poll asking whether self-checkout lanes should have an item limit, 72% of shoppers agreed. However, regardless of whether there is a rule prohibiting the number of items allowed, save your weekly or monthly grocery shop for the cashiers to handle.

As a general etiquette rule, it is best to wait to start scanning your items until the person in front of you has scanned and bagged their own items, so as not to make them feel rushed. This is especially true if you are using one of the self-checkout lanes with a conveyor belt, because you don’t want your own grocery items mixed with theirs at the end of the lane. Unlike a traditional checkout lane, there are no item dividers that clearly mark when the previous shopper’s grocery haul ends and yours begins.

This is not only a matter of courtesy, but an invasion of personal space as well. When it comes to the conveyor belt self-checkouts, you can’t bag your groceries as you scan them like at some of the smaller stations, so give shoppers some time to clear their items before you start scanning.

Scanning produce at self-checkout is slightly different from the process for other products. You usually have to select the product on the screen by identifying the image or typing the name, then weighing the item on the scale or entering the amount you’re purchasing. Unless you have all the produce barcode numbers memorized (which is highly unlikely), it’s easy to accidentally select the wrong item on the screen.

Misidentifying produce is one of the most common mistakes that can result in under- or overpaying. For instance, if you’re buying avocados, but you mistakenly select organic avocados, you will wind up paying more. But if the opposite occurs, it may appear to be an accidental shoplifting incident. Take your time when manually entering produce to ensure each product is accounted for, avoiding misunderstandings or the need to call an attendant for assistance.

Leaving unwanted perishable items around the grocery store is not only one of the most annoying customer behaviors that employees have to deal with, but also one of the most wasteful. In fact, some customers believe you should be banned from shopping if you participate in this. When you leave refrigerated or frozen items on a shelf instead of putting them back where they came from, staff usually have to throw them away because there is no telling how long they’ve been sitting out. The same issue happens at self-checkout.

If you arrive at the checkout machine and have an unwanted item, do not leave it sitting there where it can melt and make a mess or inevitably have to be thrown away. Rather, if you don’t have time to return it to where you found it, simply give it to an employee who will be happy to take it off your hands. When you’re loading your grocery bags into your cart, it’s always a good idea to take a look around to make sure you didn’t mistakenly leave anything at the counter that could spoil or make someone else clean up a mess.

If you’re moving quickly or not paying close attention, it can be easy to double-scan an item by accident. You might not even notice you’ve scanned an item twice if you don’t hear the beep of the machine in the noisy grocery store. This is one of the most common mistakes that customers can make at self-checkout, and it requires you to call over a staff member to remove the item, which slows down the checkout process for everyone.

Some shoppers wish they could simply remove items themselves. One Redditor pleads, “Please just give me the ability to remove an item! I sometimes accidentally double scan something, and it’s annoying that I have to bother the cashier to fix it.” However, it is unlikely that stores will give shoppers this capability, as it could lead to more instances of theft, a problem already highly prevalent with this checkout method. Once you’re ready to pay, it’s a good idea to do a quick scan of your order on the screen to ensure you’re not being charged twice for anything.

Scanning produce is one of the biggest reasons for stalls at self-checkout. In fact, one study found that loose produce accounts for up to 30% of transaction time, since it requires the shopper to manually identify and weigh the item. If you have a fair amount of different produce items, you might be better off heading to the regular checkout lane, because the cashiers will be much faster. In fact, many cashiers will already have the four-digit produce codes memorized, so it can save you and other shoppers lots of time.

Some shoppers consider bringing lots of produce to self-checkout to be poor etiquette due to the extra time it takes. This is mainly true if your grocery store doesn’t provide scales in the produce section with printable price labels. Of course, there is no definitive rule against using self-checkout for produce, but to avoid wasting anyone’s time and to avoid potentially being mischarged for mis-scanning, double-scanning, etc., you can leave this one to the professionals. In fact, some shoppers actually prefer it.

Bringing your own shopping bags to the store helps reduce waste and avoid bag fees. Not to mention, your reusable shopping bags are typically stronger than the plastic or paper provided by most grocery stores. However, it is important to place your bags in the bagging area before you start scanning groceries. Occasionally, the machine will ask if you placed bags down due to the weight sensors. You can select “yes” and then start scanning your items and packing them in your bags.

Some customers forget to place the bags in the bagging area before they start scanning, and then the machine might sense the additional weight and mistake the bag for an unexpected item, requiring an employee to come override the error. This can be super irritating, inspiring hilarious skits online. Setting your bags down before you start scanning your items will not only avoid stalls but also allow you to bag your groceries as you scan them, saving time and hassle for you and your fellow shoppers.