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For retailers, the opportunity is clear: make checkout easier while keeping transactions accurate. Modern hardware, intelligent software, and clear guidance help deliver both.

Better Protection, Built In

The ECR study reports average losses 0.42 percentage points higher in stores with self-checkout than in comparable stores without it. These figures deserve attention — and give retailers a starting point for targeted improvements.

Many errors happen because shoppers miss a scan or need clearer instructions. Detecting these moments early helps protect revenue while keeping checkout welcoming.

Evaldas Budvilaitis, VP of Checkout Transformation at Partner Tech Europe, explains:

“Self-checkout losses have always been part of the equation, which has contributed to the perception that SCOs are inherently more prone to loss. That view is becoming outdated. AI and modern SCO software now provide proven methods for identifying a wide range of loss incidents as they happen, from missed scans and barcode switching to other forms of transaction abuse. This gives retailers a far more comprehensive approach to SCO security, with the ability to intervene and prevent losses before they occur.”

Weight controls remain useful. Combined with cameras and software, they can support a wider range of situations — from missed scans to items left in the basket.

“For years, self-checkout security has relied heavily on weight-based controls. The world has evolved and so has technology. Considering that often security scales can be misconfigured or switched off to minimize interventions, the research also outlines common scenarios which cannot be addressed with weight-based security systems alone. AI, computer vision and modern SCO software can work together to identify a much broader range of loss incidents and provide retailers with a more comprehensive approach to securing the entire checkout.”

Make Everyday Choices Easier

Fruit, vegetables, and bakery items offer a practical opportunity to improve checkout. Finding the right product in a menu takes time. AI-powered recognition can help shoppers select it faster and more accurately.

Market data puts manual selection at around nine seconds per item, compared with about two seconds with AI-powered recognition. Less searching means a smoother purchase, particularly when the store is busy.

Sometimes, a simple prompt is enough:

“Are you sure you intended to select this item?”

At two retailers in the ECR study, 80% to 97% of shoppers who received correction prompts corrected the mistake themselves. Clear guidance lets shoppers put things right without waiting for help.

Support Staff at the Right Moment

Modern SCO software can alert staff to abandoned payments or unpaid items while there is still time to respond. Useful alerts help teams focus their attention where it matters.

Budvilaitis sees this as an ongoing opportunity:

“Both our experience with retailers and the findings of this study show that intelligent SCO protection is delivering measurable results. Weight-based controls alone are no longer sufficient. Modern AI and software provide a more comprehensive approach to security, while allowing retailers to continuously adapt their protection as new loss scenarios emerge.”

The same principle applies to everyday assistance. Age checks and some payment issues will still need a person. Clear menus, accurate weight data, and well-positioned scanners can reduce avoidable interruptions.

“Interventions are not simply an inconvenience for shoppers. They directly affect the retailer’s bottom line. Every unnecessary intervention adds time to a transaction and reduces SCO throughput, with the greatest impact during peak periods when capacity is already stretched. Reducing avoidable interventions can effectively add the capacity of one or even two additional SCOs, without adding hardware or floor space.”

Built for Store Life

Good hardware makes these improvements practical. Responsive scanners keep purchases moving. Readable displays help shoppers find their next step. Precise scales and well-integrated cameras support accurate transactions. Easy service access helps teams keep systems running.

Across Europe, the setup needs to fit the store: its space, languages, basket sizes, and busiest hours. A neighbourhood supermarket and a DIY store need different layouts, but shoppers in both want a checkout they can use confidently.

Our view: self-checkout should make store life easier. Give shoppers clear guidance, help staff respond when needed, and build protection into the process. That is how retailers get more from SCO — and how scanning, paying, and leaving becomes the easy part of the shopping trip.

About the ECR Retail Loss Group

The ECR Retail Loss Group is driving collaboration across the retail industry to tackle the growing challenge of retail loss. Bringing together retailers, manufacturers and industry experts, the initiative provides research, insights and practical solutions to help businesses better understand and reduce loss. By sharing knowledge and best practices, ECR Retail Loss supports a more efficient, resilient and sustainable retail sector.