Grocery shopping in Santa Ana is about to get more expensive and much more frustrating. The Santa Ana City Council is pushing a new pending ordinance to heavily restrict supermarket self-checkout lanes. While politicians claim this protects workers, the reality is clear. This policy raises grocery prices, kills shopping convenience, and serves labor unions at the expense of residents.
Pattern of Driving Up Your Cost of Living
This ordinance is not an isolated incident. It is part of a long history of anti-consumer decisions by the Santa Ana City Council:
- Highest Sales Tax: The council previously raised our sales tax to the highest level in Orange County. They are now working to extend that sales tax increase yet again!
- Banning Affordable Options: The Santa Ana City Council made it nearly impossible to open supercenters in our city, blocking low-cost options. (Why do you think we have no Sam’s Club or Costco stores in Santa Ana?)
- The Big Picture: California already suffers from the highest grocery prices in the lower 48 states.
You can draw a straight line from the actions of our political leaders to the skyrocketing totals on your grocery receipts.
Grocery store profit margins are razor-thin, averaging just 1.7% according to the Food Industry Association (FMI). When politicians mandate expensive new rules, grocers cannot just absorb the cost if they want to keep their doors open. Those higher operational costs go straight to the consumer.
The Hidden Costs of the Ordinance
The financial damage of this ordinance hits both the stores and your wallet:
- $500,000 Removal Costs: One local grocer shared that closing down and physically removing self-checkout machines to comply with Santa Ana’s rules will cost up to $500,000 per store.
- Trial Attorney Bonanza: The law includes a “Private Right of Action” enforcement mechanism without a right to cure. This is a massive boon for trial attorneys, creating lawsuits that will ultimately show up as higher prices on grocery shelves.
- Zero Impact on Theft: Despite claims of reducing crime, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union admits employees cannot stop thieves. A San Francisco Chronicle report quotes a union representative stating, “Our workers are not trained to approach, and they’re not supposed to stop shoplifters.”
- Proven Failure: In Long Beach, internal data from grocers showed retail theft actually increased 48% after implementing a similar law, forcing many stores to close self-checkout stands entirely.
If the Santa Ana City Council really wants to stop retail thefts why aren’t they arresting all the transients and drug addicts who loiter in our parks and sidewalks?
Creating a Worse Shopping Experience
If this ordinance passes, prepare for long lines and retail friction:
The 15-Item Law…