NY state proposal would give shoppers a 10% discount for self-checkout

Check yourself out; it could pay off.A 10% discount could be up for grabs — if you’re willing to work for it.New York lawmaker, Nikki Lucas, proposed a 10% discount for shoppers who use the self-checkout lane.The bill, which was introduced in May, would only require retail establishments that also sell food to provide the discount.This means supermarkets or retailers like Target and Walmart.

Lucas argued that the money saved should go directly to the shopper and not the company, as customers are now doing the work.“Retail businesses increasingly rely on self-checkout systems to reduce staffing and operational costs by shifting responsibilities traditionally performed by employees onto consumers,” Lucas wrote in the bill.“Since customers are effectively completing portions of the checkout labor themselves without compensation, providing a mandatory discount helps ensure fairness, acknowledges consumer participation in store operations, and allows the public to share in the financial savings created by self-service technology,” the lawmaker added.The bill is still in its early stages as it was introduced at the end of the legislative session.It still needs a committee vote, after which it can then hit the Assembly floor to be passed onto the Senate for another vote.Regardless, self-checkout remains a controversial issue as states continue to roll out legislation regulating how it can be used.

However, this particular bill is unique as it’s the only proposal that would hand money back to the shopper.Earlier this year, another bill was introduced, and if passed, would force supermarkets and pharmacies in NYC to impose a 15-item limit at self-checkout lines.It would also force retailers to have at least one employee manning every three of those lanes.Failure to follow the rules would mean daily fines of at least $100.“We’ve seen the consequences of removing workers from these spaces: increased retail theft, less oversight, fewer protections for both ...