Warning comes as Greggs pulls self-serve cabinets in theft-hit stores…
A senior figure at Marks & Spencer has issued a blunt warning about the unintended consequences of self-checkout systems, arguing they are contributing to higher levels of shoplifting among normally “honest” shoppers.
Speaking to The Telegraph , Chairman Archie Norman suggested that the growing reliance on automated tills has severed the “human link” between store and consumer.
“When normally good, honest people come in, and they’re buying their shopping, and it doesn’t scan, and there’s nobody manning the checkouts, they’re saying: ‘It’s not my fault and I don’t have much time so if I can’t get my strawberries through, I’ll just put them in my basket’.”
Whilst Mr. Norman stopped short of advocating for a full return to staffed checkouts, he emphasised that retailers must ensure systems are intuitive and frictionless if they are to reduce opportunities for theft.
His comments came as Greggs revealed it had removed self-service display cabinets in stores that have been most severely hit by shoplifters.
Staff are now handing over products like sandwiches from behind a theft-proof counter as the bakery chain steps up its efforts to combat theft.
Branches in Croydon, Peckham, Whitechapel and Upton Park in London, alongside locations in Birmingham and Wilford, Nottinghamshire, are among those testing the new format.
Greggs also said it was investing in new software capable of sharing real-time data and evidence directly with the Police, signalling a broader shift toward technology-enabled loss prevention.
These developments come amid renewed political focus on retail crime. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer this week said that the “tide could be turning” on shoplifting, citing a 17% increase in the number of offenders being charged.
Addressing a conference hosted by the Usdaw union, he highlighted the potential of improved CCTV integration and suggested that faster evidence-sharing with law enforcement could play a significant role in deterrence.
The PM also pointed to the growing pressure on frontline retail workers, condemning the abuse many face in the course of their jobs and calling for stronger protections.