Losses at self-checkouts more than doubled in 2023 — report

Cork artificial intelligence firm Everseen said its analysis showed the majority of cases were malicious, with shoppers scanning most of the items in the cart while leaving expensive items like alcohol and meat unscanned

Everseen said for the average grocery store with 12 self-checkout lanes, this cart-based loss exceeds $102,000 (€93,757) annually,

The level of losses from theft and items left unscanned at self-checkout tills has more than doubled across the globe in the past year, according to a report by Cork artificial intelligence firm Everseen.

Releasing the findings from its Retail Threat Curve report, the company said cart-based loss had doubled in the past year, reaching 30% of all incidents happening at self-checkouts. Cart-based loss is defined as unscanned items left in the shopping cart at the end of the payment process. 

Everseen said while some cart-based loss was unintentional, its analysis showed the majority of cases were malicious, with shoppers scanning most of the items in the cart while leaving expensive items like alcohol and meat unscanned.

Everseen works with supermarket chains across the globe. It develops and installs video technology that helps staff prevent theft and misscanned items. The data for its report is based on a representative global sample, including more than one billion transactions throughout 2023.

Alan O’Herlihy, Everseen’s founder and CEO. The company's technology is in more than half of the world’s top 15 retailers and is live in over 140,000 checkouts globally.

Everseen said for the average grocery store with 12 self-checkout lanes, this cart-based loss exceeds $102,000 (€93,757) annually, directly impacting retailer EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization).

Everseen said both the average number of items and the value of those items unscanned have risen, with the average number of items left unscanned in the cart increased from 1.6 to 3.8 per incident. They said the average value of those items increased from $11.10 (€10.21) to $22.90 (€21.06).

"Retailers are under more pressure than ever to stop the high rate of lost inventory," Everseen’s founder and CEO Alan O’Herlihy said. 

"Before now, retailers could not specifically account for the loss happening at checkout. These latest numbers add to the guidance we have been providing on where they can additionally focus their efforts."

Headquartered in Cork, Everseen's technology is in more than half of the world’s top 15 retailers and is live in over 140,000 checkouts globally.