Self-checkout kiosks are among the most controversial advents in the grocery industry, popular for their convenience yet criticized for being difficult to use and enabling theft. These potential downsides may be why Aldi is getting rid of many self-checkout lanes, joining the growing list of grocery chains that have done the same. During the summer of 2025, Aldi customers began posting to social media about self-checkout systems disappearing from their local stores.
"Worst thing I participated in as kitchen staff in a rather top-flight restaurant was on a slow summer Sunday afternoon. The boss sent us down to the walk-in meat coolers to spray paint the rusted walls. We were instructed to not remove the contents of the cooler first; rather, just shift the meat from one side of the cooler to the other - the coat of silver spray paint will come off during cooking." - u/Zealousideal_Lie_383.