Major retailer abandons its self-checkout policy, causing a huge shift for customers

Grocery chain Hy-Vee has shut down its Scan & Go app, forcing customers to go back to staff-operated standard checkouts or the self-service checkouts.

Hy-vee announced the move on February 20, after the app was originally launched two years ago for customer convenience.

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“Hy-Vee’s Scan & Go service will be deactivated effective Monday, February 20,” the company vaguely announced on its website.

Originally launched in 2021, the app was intended to allow customers to scan items on their phones while shopping across the store.

Then shoppers could skip the checkout line and pay by simply scanning the app.

It’s unclear why Hy-Vee is getting rid of Scan & Go, but other companies that have removed the service have cited the theft problems it caused.

“Hy-Vee didn’t say why it shut down the system. Previously, another grocery chain shut down its scan-and-go app citing losses,” the Des Moines Register said Twitter on Monday.

It’s believed that some shoppers either forget to scan items or intentionally take the opportunity to avoid doing so, according to CNN.

Wegmans, a Northeastern grocery store that was stolen with its app, said in a statement, “Unfortunately, the losses we are experiencing prevent us from continuing to make them available in their current state.”

“We have decided to deactivate the app until we can make improvements that meet the needs of our customers and our business.”

Hy-Vee has more than 286 stores in eight Midwestern states, including Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin, the company said.

All branches are affected by the change.

The grocery chain originally stated that the Scan & Go app was a way to showcase technological advances in its stores.

“Hy-Vee has set a new record in driving adoption at launch, particularly in its new flagship stores,” said Will Hogben, CEO of FutureProof Retail, in an August 2022 press release.

“Hy-Vee is a leading innovator in retail technology and new store formats, and we’re excited to be their partner for new checkout technologies.”

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