Wegmans announced it will end its “scan and go” self-checkout service this weekend due to losses from theft. With the service – introduced early in the pandemic to provide a contactless in-store shopping option – customers connect to the store Wi-Fi and link to their loyalty account. Once connected they scan and bag as they shop. Loyalty discounts and digital coupons are automatically applied to the order, and after stopping at a self-checkout register and applying payment, customers can leave the store.
“Scan users have told us they love the app and the convenience it offers,” Wegmans said in an email to customers. “We love it too and have tried many adjustments to keep it. Unfortunately, the losses we are experiencing from the program prevent us from continuing to make it available in its current state.”
Wegmans is applying a $20 coupon to users of the app as a sign of gratitude and to apologize for any inconvenience.
According to the recent Jack L. Hayes International 34th Annual Retail Theft Survey, retailers apprehended fewer shoplifters and dishonest employees in 2021 compared to 2020, but average case values rose substantially in 2021, with the value for total thefts up 26%. The issues cited in the survey that helped drive higher-loss shoplifting incidents included the pandemic environment as well as increasing violence among thieves and lower/less police response.