Loblaw rolls out self-checkout receipt scanner at 4 Ontario locations
CTV
Loblaw has rolled out its new self-checkout receipt scanner at one location in the Toronto area.
Customers using the self-checkout at a handful of Loblaw-owned stores in Ontario are being asked to scan their receipts to exit the store, a new pilot project aimed at curbing grocery theft, the company says.
In a statement to CP24.com, a Loblaw spokesperson confirmed that the receipt scanners were installed at four stores in the province in Windsor, Woodstock, Oakville, and Georgetown.
“Organized retail crime across the entire industry is a very serious issue, and has only gotten worse. It’s having an impact on prices and safety. To protect customers and colleagues, we’re always looking at different ways to stop this theft. This pilot is a part of these efforts,” the spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
The pilot, they said, is a “small trial” that aims to determine the “effectiveness” of such anti-theft measures.
While receipt checks are common at some retailers, including Costco, Loblaw faced significant backlash when the grocer implemented the practice at some Loblaw-owned stores last summer.
Customers took to social media to speak out against the move, posting photos of signs that had popped up at stores warning customers of receipt checks.
“We are working hard to balance a need for enhanced security while at the same time preserving a welcoming and convenient customer experience,” the Loblaw spokesperson said of the new receipt scanners.
