California cannabis regulators approve self-checkout at licensed retailer

A Sacramento, California cannabis store is the first licensed retailer in the state to be approved to operate a self-checkout system.

Perfect Union Northside – owned by MWG Holdings Group, which operates 10 stores in the state – received confirmation from the California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) that its radio-frequency identification (RFID) self-checkout system may continue operating on the sales floor, the company said in a statement Tuesday.

The DCC reviewed Exo Solutions’ self-checkout system and found it complies with state cannabis regulations, the company said.

“Cannabis retail is maturing fast, and we intend to lead that shift,” MWG Holdings CEO Tom Sheridan said in a statement.

“Bringing RFID-powered self-checkout to Perfect Union Northside gives our guests a faster, more seamless experience while giving our teams sharper inventory control and stronger security.”

Are self-checkout kiosks legal in cannabis retail?

During the DCC review, the system communicated with both the dispensary’s point-of-sale software and Metrc, California’s mandatory seed-to-sale track-and-trace system.

The RFID setup reads multiple products at once, cutting down on scanning. Beyond checkout speed, the platform gives staff real-time inventory visibility and supports loss prevention, according to MWG.

The DCC’s approval of Perfect Union’s system shows getting around barriers such as age verification, track-and-trace requirements and limited cashless payment options can be done.

Is cannabis self-checkout available in other states?

Self-checkout is routine in grocery stores, pharmacies and big-box retail, but cannabis appears to have been a holdout.

Cannabis self-checkout appears largely absent across the U.S. – examples beyond Perfect Union could not be immediately found – but other convenience models have moved faster in some markets.

Colorado, Nevada, Florida and Vermont have allowed cannabis drive-thru service in some form.

California generally prohibits drive-thru windows, although a California Senate committee recently passed a bill that would allow cannabis retailers to offer them if they are approved by the local jurisdiction they operate in.