Have you ever had a self-checkout screen ask for a quantity, then looked at your bag of avocados, and thought, “Eh, ‘four.’ Close enough”?
Turns out a lot of people do exactly that, but here’s the twist: it is not the people struggling the most who are doing it. It is the people who definitely can afford the avocados.
A new report found that 27% of Americans admit they have intentionally skipped scanning an item at self-checkout. But when you break it down by income, the numbers get funnier and also slightly villainous.
Among households earning $100,000 or more, a full 40% admit they have stolen something at least once. That number drops to 27% for people making between $50,000 and $99,000. And only 17% of people making under $50,000 say they have done it.
So basically, the more money you have, the more likely you are to commit a misdemeanor over a bag of grapes.
This survey relies entirely on self-reporting, so it is possible rich people believe it’s less of a big deal. There is also no distinction between people who have done it once and people who treat self-checkout like an all-you-can-steal buffet.
The demographic split is just as wild. Men admit to cheating the system at a rate of 38%, compared to just 16% of women. Millennials are the boldest at 41%, closely followed by Gen Z at 37%. Gen X sits at 24%, and Boomers are basically saints with only 2% admitting they have done it.
Parents with young kids at home? Oh, they are absolutely stealing snacks. A giant 44% admit to it, compared to 7% of parents with adult kids and 19% of people without kids.
So why are people risking legal trouble over a $3 item?
The thieves were given 10 reasons to choose from, and the top answer was the economy. People said they are having trouble affording essentials because of “the current financial climate.” Next was frustration with recent price increases, followed by the general vibe of “prices feel unfair.”
After that, the excuses get a little philosophical. Some say self-checkout is essentially unpaid labor, so taking something small feels like compensation. Others think big stores are so profitable that the harm is minimal. And of course, plenty of people admit they steal because the chance of being caught is low.
17% of people justify stealing because there are long lines.
And 14% say they feel justified because they have been falsely accused of shoplifting before, which is… quite a plot twist.
So the next time you are at self-checkout and the machine says “unexpected item in the bagging area,” just know it is probably referring to someone’s conscience.
