The goal is to add more staffed checkout lanes and limit self-checkout to 10 items per customer. The company, which has more than 2,000 locations in the US, announced that the change will take effect over the weekend.

“Checkout is one of Target's most important moments, and we know that a quick and easy experience—whether at self-checkout or in the lanes staffed by our friendly team members—is critical to getting guests on their way quickly.”, said Target in a company release.

The chain will also expand traditional checkout lanes in all of its stores.

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The company said it piloted limited self-checkout lanes last fall and that customers were able to check out “twice as fast” compared to traditional methods.

Target will also now allow store managers to set specific self-checkout hours that “are convenient for their store,” but noted that during busy peak hours, there will be available “Self- Checkout Express”.

Target did not mention the theft issues in its release about the checkout policy changes, but in September 2023, the company closed nine shops in four states in what the company said were high-traffic theft areas.

“We cannot continue to operate these stores because theft and organized retail crime are threatening the safety of our team and guests and contributing to volatile business performance,” the company said in a memo at the time. “We know our stores serve an important role in their communities, but we can only be successful if the working and shopping environment is safe for everyone.”

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Target CFO Michael Fiddelke said in a third-quarter 2023 earnings call report that the company was estimated to lose about $500 million due to retail theft, and in 2022, the company lost about $700 million from issuance.

The aim it was upstairs slightly more than 2% year over year as of Monday afternoon.