Stealing from self-checkout

I found this article online and I thought it was interesting.  Personally, I would not be able to sleep at night if I intentionally stole a bottle of ketchup from the grocery store...

Self-checkout may save time at the store, but a growing number of shoppers admit they’ve also used it to steal.

Among Americans who’ve used self-checkout, 27 percent say they’ve intentionally taken an item without scanning it — up from 15 percent in 2023, according to a recent survey. 

Millennials (41 percent) and Gen Z adults (37 percent) were the most likely to admit to stealing at self-checkout, while only 2 percent of Baby Boomers said the same. Men (38 percent) were more than twice as likely as women (16 percent) to say they’ve done it.

When asked why they stole, 47 percent said the current financial climate has made it difficult to afford essentials. Nearly as many (46 percent) cited higher prices — including increases they attributed to tariffs — and many (39 percent) said today’s prices “feel unfair” or “too high in general.”

“Even though people know that stealing is wrong and most understand the risk they’re taking, tough times require tough choices, and lots of people are clearly willing to take a risk,” LendingTree’s chief consumer analyst Matt Schulz said in the report.

About a third of those who’ve stolen said they don’t feel remorseful, and a similar share (35 percent) see self-checkout as “unpaid work,” so taking small items “feels like compensation.”

Interestingly, those with household incomes of $100,000 or more were the most likely (40 percent) to say they’ve intentionally taken an item without scanning it. Just 17 percent of those making less than $30,000 said the same.

Interesting article.  I doubt that you would steal from the self checkout line.  I don't.

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