Washington's war on self-checkout: More government control, fewer choices for shoppers
When in doubt, regulate. And when that doesn’t work, regulate more.
Washington lawmakers are once again meddling in everyday life, this time deciding how you’re allowed to check out at the grocery store.
House Bill 1739, sponsored by Rep. Emily Alvarado (D-Seattle), would restrict self-checkout stations, limit customer choices, and impose new regulations on grocery stores. Instead of letting businesses and shoppers decide what works best, Olympia politicians want to micromanage how you buy groceries.
If this bill passes, expect:
🚨 Longer checkout lines and fewer self-checkout stations.
🚨 Higher grocery prices as stores adjust to costly regulations.
🚨 More government interference in your everyday shopping experience.
This isn’t about protecting workers—it’s about controlling private businesses and limiting consumer choice.
Self-checkout limits will make shopping more frustrating
HB 1739 places unnecessary restrictions on self-checkout stations, forcing businesses to:
Always have at least one staffed checkout lane open whenever self-checkout is available.
Limit self-checkout customers to 15 items or fewer.
Ensure no employee monitors more than two self-checkout stations at a time.
Stores that don’t comply face fines of $100 per day, up to $10,000 total.
On top of that, businesses will be forced to conduct state-mandated “work hazard” analyses on self-checkout lanes and report them to the government.
If you thought waiting in line at the grocery store was frustrating before, just wait until politicians start running it.
This bill won’t help workers, but it will raise costs for everyone
Supporters claim HB 1739 will save cashier jobs and improve customer service. But in reality, it will increase costs for businesses, reduce efficiency, and limit consumer choice.
It won’t create more jobs. Forcing stores to restrict self-checkout won’t bring back cashier jobs—it will just drive up prices or lead to job cuts elsewhere.
It won’t make checkout faster. Fewer self-checkout lanes mean longer lines for everyone—both at self-checkout and at traditional lanes.
It won’t reduce theft. Grocery store theft is already a problem at both self-checkout and regular lanes—this bill won’t change that.
The only guaranteed outcome? A more frustrating and expensive shopping experience for everyone.
Who benefits? Not shoppers.
Labor unions – Grocery store unions have fought against self-checkout for years.
Government bureaucrats – More regulations mean more oversight jobs, more state power, and more taxpayer dollars spent on enforcement.
Politicians who want to micromanage everything – The same lawmakers who made gas more expensive and taxes higher now want to control how you buy groceries.
Who doesn’t benefit?
Shoppers who just want to check out quickly and go home.
Grocery stores already struggling with rising costs.
Consumers who prefer self-checkout over waiting in line.
This bill isn’t about helping workers—it’s about giving government more control over businesses and limiting consumer choice.
What can you do?
🚨 Contact your legislator. Tell them no to HB 1739 and yes to letting consumers choose how they shop.
🚨 Demand less government interference in private businesses. Washington lawmakers should focus on real issues, not micromanaging grocery stores.
Washington Democrats want to control how you shop.
Are you okay with that?