Overview
- Amanda Farias introduced legislation to limit self-checkout purchases to 15 items and require at least one employee for every three kiosks at supermarkets and pharmacies, with daily fines of at least $100 for violations.
- Gale Brewer, Harvey Epstein, Tiffany Cabán, and Shirley Aldebol are listed as co-sponsors of the proposal.
- Supporters say the rules would protect frontline jobs, increase oversight, and create a more secure shopping environment.
- Republican council members and industry voices, including National Supermarket Association board member Jason Ferraira, argue the measure burdens businesses and customers and would not deter shoplifters.
- The fight arrives as the Council also considers raising the city minimum wage to $30 by 2030, follows similar ordinances in Long Beach and Costa Mesa, and comes after statewide anti-theft efforts in 2024 coincided with declines that still left shoplifting above pre-2020 levels.