Skip to content

August 2025

Whole Foods Self-Scanning Bays Offer a Preview of Hell:
Hell is warmer, but that’s the only difference

Shoppers who are naughtier than nice get an accurate approximation of what awaits them in the afterlife when they use self-checkout at Whole Foods. Whole Foods is my local stop for delicacies, splurges, and items I can’t buy elsewhere. Whole Foods is too expensive to use as my sole supermarket. Consequently, my Whole Foods trips occur less frequently than my weekly non-Whole Foods supermarket trips and usually consist of ten… Read More »Whole Foods Self-Scanning Bays Offer a Preview of Hell:
Hell is warmer, but that’s the only difference

When a Smart Cart Calls You a Thief Without Calling You a Thief:
How supermarkets attempt to mitigate theft and reduce inventory shrink

In an astonishing 2023 Lending Tree survey of 2,000 shoppers, 15% confessed to intentionally stealing at the grocery store self-checkout. Undoubtedly, the percentage is even higher since many are unwilling to expose their perfidy to pollsters. Humans are uniquely capable of rationalizing their dishonest behavior. Shoppers may feel compelled to use self-checkout because the queues at the more limited full-service lanes are excessively long. Consequently, shoppers may feel justified in… Read More »When a Smart Cart Calls You a Thief Without Calling You a Thief:
How supermarkets attempt to mitigate theft and reduce inventory shrink

Solving A Weighty Grocery Scanning Dilemma:
Improving upon produce barcode scales

To seduce buyers with the aromas and vibrant colors of fresh fruits and vegetables, grocers typically locate produce sections near the front of the store. If the produce is sufficiently sexy, grocers anticipate that the dopamine hit will encourage shoppers to open their wallets wider as they traipse through the aisles. Efficiency hounds like me use Giant Food’s (a subsidiary of Ahold Delhaize) ScanIt scanners in lieu of checking out… Read More »Solving A Weighty Grocery Scanning Dilemma:
Improving upon produce barcode scales