A TikTok video that was posted in early November has gone viral after it showed a customer at a Walmart location attempting to go through the self-checkout process but is told there is a misscanned item.
"Walmart self-checkout thinking I'm stealing when I'm not," TikToker RéJean Allen, whose username is rejeanlevell, said in his video, which garnered more than 1 million views. "You can clearly see I scanned the chicken, but then the machine thinks I stole it."
Footage of the alleged incident featured him passing his product over the self-checkout scanner.
"It says potential mis-scan, AKA potential theft, but I didn't steal it so the man had to come over to put his code in, Allen said in his video.
He told Newsweek that employees typically give shoppers a "cold shoulder" when they come over to the machines to address the issue.
"Many act as if you're stealing," Allen said.
This TikTok video was in response to a comment on a previous video Allen posted that showed Walmart's security system.
"The Walmart has these new cameras right above the cashiers," he explained, pointing to the self-checkout section of the store and the various security screens that are mounted.
The Loss Prevention Council stated that, according to retail industry experts, machines are worth the trouble, even if it means shoppers are more likely to steal items.
"Machines mean fewer cashiers, and that can translate to big savings, even if it encourages some shoppers to take the five-fingered discount," the study read.
The study continued on money.com where it stated that more advanced security technology is likely to come to stores.
Allen posted a few other videos in which he showed the security systems and cameras at Walmart and Target.
"I posted about store security systems at major chains to point out their technologies' abilities to not only catch stealing but also mistake people for stealing," he explained to Newsweek.
As for Walmart's security system specifically, Allen said he believed that while the company spends money on self-checkouts and antitheft technology, it does not work properly.
"They would have less issues with stealing from self-checkout if they actually hired employees to work the actual lines," he said.
Allen continued and said he recently moved from Texas to Colorado, and in his experience, both of his local Walmart locations had limited staff working as cashiers.
A few commenters on Allen's viral video wrote that the mishap was not a serious issue.
"Why is everyone upset...it is a software that tracks movements...It will not be perfect, just let dude come put his code in and go about your day," a viewer wrote.
However other commenters shared their personal experiences and struggles with self-checkouts.
"They tried to pull this with eggs I scanned," one TikTok viewer wrote. "Hundreds of dollars of groceries and they think I tried to steal some eggs."
Another person wrote: "It did that to me when I move my wallet from one hand to another to scan something. It thought I stole my own wallet."
Newsweek reached out to Walmart for comment.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Catherine Ferris is a Newsweek reporter based in New York. Her focus is reporting for the U.S. Trends Team. She ... Read more
