Trader Joe’s is Ignoring the Trends by Not Adding Self-Checkout Lanes

Many retailers have hopped on the trend of adding self-checkout kiosks, but Trader Joe’s is one place you will not find it.

Trader Joe’s President, Jon Basalone, said in a recent podcast, “We believe in people. We’re not trying to get rid of our crew members for efficiency’s sake.” The company’s CEO, Bryan Palbaum, also shared his opinion on self-checkout stating, “self-checkout is work … I don’t want that.”

Trader Joe’s is known for its talkative, friendly cashiers that are genuinely interested in how customers are doing and how their day is going.

Consumers reportedly feel the same way about self-checkout lanes. CNN reported, “According to a survey last year of 1,000 shoppers, 67% said they’d experienced a failure at the self-checkout lane. Errors at the kiosks are so common that they have even spawned dozens of memes and TikTok videos.”

Another trend Trader Joe’s has not jumped on is delivery, curbside pickup or robust ecommerce options for shopping.