Self-checkout in retail, measuring the impact on loss – KEY FACTS

• Fixed self-checkout can increase store losses by as much as 60%
• Each 1% shift to self-checkout adds at least one basis-point loss
• Non-scanning accounts for nearly 10% of total store shrink
• Partial audits miss most Scan-and-Go errors, understating losses dramatically
• Scan-and-Go losses can reach almost 5% of sales value
• Large baskets have near-certain scanning errors as item counts rise

Fixed self-checkout can increase store losses by up to 60%

Across multiple case studies, stores where 50% or more of transactions pass through fixed self-checkout experienced 30–60% higher losses than comparable stores without self-checkout.

Losses increased further as the number of machines grew, particularly in stores operating seven to ten self-checkout units or more.

Scale, not just presence, is what amplifies risk.

Every 1% shift to self-checkout brings additional loss

Our report identifies a clear, linear relationship between usage and loss. For each 1% of sales processed through fixed self-checkout, retailers should expect at least one basis point of additional loss.

As self-checkout adoption rises, this turns loss into a structural issue rather than an operational anomaly.

Non-scanning alone accounts for almost 10% of total store shrink

Analysis of €72 billion in fixed self-checkout transactions shows that non-scanning accounts for 0.44% of self-checkout sales.

When translated to the whole store, this represents 9.5% of total recorded shrink.

This figure excludes other loss types such as mis-scanning, walk-aways and system errors. Meaning the true self-checkout impact is even higher.

Partial audits dramatically understate Scan-and-Go losses

Retailers relying on partial re-scan audits found errors in just 2.9% of Scan-and-Go transactions.

But full, random audits told a very different story: 43.4% of baskets contained errors.

That’s a 1,407% difference, revealing a major blind spot in how Scan-and-Go losses are currently measured.

Scan-and-Go losses can reach nearly 5% of sales

Using full audit data, the report estimates net losses of up to 4.68% of Scan-and-Go sales. At current levels of adoption, this could push total store shrink up by 43%.

Without stronger controls, Scan-and-Go risks shifting loss from manageable to unsustainable.

Large baskets make scanning errors almost inevitable

The likelihood of error rises sharply as basket size increases. The data shows:

• 30% probability of at least one error in a 20-item basket
• Over 60% in large baskets
• Nearly 90% in 100-item baskets

Convenience for large shops comes with disproportionately high loss risk.

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