Economy

Rhode Island is first state to cap self-checkout lanes at grocery stores

It requires a minimum of one staffed manual checkout station for every three self-service stations.
People carrying shopping bags walk out of a grocery store, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

A new Rhode Island law will make it the first state to set a limit on self-checkout lanes at grocery stores, ensuring more help for seniors and others preferring assistance when they purchase their produce, bread and milk.

The bill Democratic Gov. Dan McKee signed last week is one of several introduced across the country this year that would regulate the proliferation of unstaffed grocery lanes.

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