The Massachusetts bill focuses on self-checkout in grocery stores

The flashing red light and error message at the self-checkout in a supermarket can be annoying for shoppers. But for Celine Blaisdell, a longtime Stop & Shop employee, it’s more than annoying: it can be dangerous.

“I understand that the self-checkouts are promoted as cost-saving measures, but they have also created a demanding and sometimes dangerous work environment for our grocery store employees,” said Blaisdell, who has worked at the Framingham store for 36 years.

Now a Massachusetts lawmaker wants to change that. Senator Paul Feeney, who represents Bristol and Norfolk counties, has introduced a bill that would limit supermarkets to eight self-checkout lanes and require one manned lane for every two open self-checkout lanes.

One dedicated employee would also be needed to check every two self-checkout stations – no multitasking allowed.

The bill applies to supermarkets, most large stores and pharmacies that use self-checkouts.

The proposal, “An Act to Regulate Self-Checkout in Grocery Stores,” is now before the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensing.

Feeney said in a statement to Boston.com that the regulations would “keep workers employed and protect their safety and dignity, while also reducing frustration for consumers, many of whom struggle with self-checkout yet find themselves stranded without a human employee in sight for assistance.”

However, not everyone agrees that self-checkout restrictions are the right thing to do.

Ryan Kearney, general counsel for the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, said the proposed rules would burden staff, limit customer choice and increase costs as stores hire more workers.

He noted that supermarkets already operate on small margins – around 3% or less – so they are likely to pass on new spending to shoppers.

“Ultimately, it is the consumer who suffers from longer checkout lines, less customer service and delays in e-commerce purchases,” Kearney said. “If they are forced to hire more workers, it will lead to higher prices for consumers.”

Brian Houghton, senior vice president of the Massachusetts Food Association, agreed, calling the proposal too restrictive. He said it would prevent stores from deploying staff to other essential tasks such as stocking shelves, cleaning up spills or fulfilling online orders.

“It is not the state’s responsibility to determine how, when and where a company deploys its workforce,” Houghton wrote in a statement to Boston.com.

Houghton also noted that grocery stores are already struggling to fill jobs. A 2024 report from the Food Industry Association found that food retailers averaged nearly five full-time and nine part-time vacancies last year.

Blaisdell said her store could solve the problem by giving existing employees more hours.

Jack Kenslea, the political director of UFCW Local 1445, which represents grocery store workers in the region, said the union is in favor of this bill.

After surveying union members over the summer, Kenslea said the top response was that self-checkouts can often be overwhelming when there’s a rush. Multiple alarm indicators can go off at the same time.

He said customers become frustrated when employee assistance takes a long time. This frustration often spills over to the union members.

Blaisdell said customers whose patience is wearing thin sometimes refer to whistling at her to get her attention, cursing or even, in some cases, physical altercations. Once, she saw a colleague thrown over the self-checkout console, splitting his lip.

“People expect to check in and out quickly, but that doesn’t always go smoothly,” says Blaisdell.

In addition, there are random audits, where employees check whether customers have paid for their items. She said it can be difficult to balance theft with employee satisfaction.

Blaisdell said the machines themselves are finicky. Random objects or a small child’s hand on the scale can trigger the warning system.

“They deal with computers, but when it comes to the employee… they are not computers,” Blaisdell says. “They are human.”

Beth Treffeisen is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on local news, crime and business in the New England region.