San Jose City Council Studies Self-Checkout Regulations

The San Jose City Council rules committee agreed on Wednesday to study a proposal that would regulate self-checkout kiosks at pharmacies and grocery stores. Co-authored by Councilmembers Domingo Candelas and David Cohen, the measure proposes mandating one employee for every three kiosks, requiring at least one human-staffed lane to remain open, and limiting self-checkout transactions to 15 items.

The proposal aims to improve working conditions and reduce retail theft, which costs the city up to $400,000 in annual lost sales tax revenue. The United Food and Commercial Workers union supports the move, citing safety risks for understaffed workers and higher loss rates.

Opposing the measure, the California Grocers Association argues that these mandates would increase grocery prices and lengthen lines without effectively stopping crime. The association noted that similar regulations in other cities led some stores to close their self-checkout lanes entirely.