Santa Ana Passes “Safe Stores are Staffed Stores” Ordinance Addressing Impacts of Self-Checkout Machines
Santa Ana, CA – On Tuesday, May 19, 2026, the Santa Ana City Council passed the “Safe Stores are Staffed Stores” ordinance to address staffing and operational standards for the use of self-checkout in grocery retail stores and retail drug establishments in the city. The ordinance proactively addresses retail theft and advances public safety in the city of Santa Ana, and was passed unanimously by the City Council.
“The “Safe Stores are Staffed Stores” ordinance establishes reasonable guardrails while protecting the use of technology and innovation in our stores,” said Jose Perez, president, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 324. “We’re proud that more cities are recognizing that fully replacing workers with self-checkout creates unintended consequences for communities. The Santa Ana City Council’s leadership on this issue sends a message that technology should support workers, not replace them entirely.”
The grocery industry consistently fights back against similar ordinances to continue reducing labor costs through self-checkout systems. The practice of understaffing and the increasingly widespread reliance on self-checkout create an unsafe environment for both shoppers and workers. Customers, particularly seniors and people with disabilities, are frequently left to struggle with technology that they may not be able to use effectively. These vulnerable populations are underserved and isolated, without the assistance they need, and often face long delays in service.
“My union brothers and sisters and I are fighting to ensure our customers have a good shopping experience and that workers have safe working conditions,” said Victor Romero, a meat cutter at Stater Bros. in Santa Ana. “The way to do that is via more staffing, not technology that is designed to replace us. Regulating self-checkout does not stop companies from utilizing the technology, and I’m glad the Santa Ana City Council stood with working people today.”
The “Safe Stores are Staffed Stores” ordinance will set a new benchmark for worker protection. The ordinance seeks to improve citywide public safety, safeguard employees, and lower retail theft. It requires all drug retail establishments with self-checkout stations and grocery stores larger than 15,000 square feet to have a minimum staffing ratio of at least one dedicated employee for every three self-checkout machines and requires one manned checkstand to be open at all times when self-checkout kiosks are in operation.
The ordinance is expected to go into effect in 30 days.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2026
Contact: Jenna Thompson, 949.246.1620, jthompson@ufcw324.org
