New checkout technology at Walmart and other stores is making it even more difficult for people to shoplift.

Shoppers are now able to scan certain items at the self-checkout counter by simply moving the item over the scanner, without having to actually scan a visible barcode.

Invisible barcodes, which are featured on Walmart Great Value store brand items and, though not visible to the eye, are located all over the product, were initially introduced via the retail chain’s partnership with Digimarc in 2019.

According to Digimarc, the technology allows “packages [to] be printed all over with hundreds of barcodes without disturbing the package design.”

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Multiple items can also be registered (i.e. scanned) at the same time.

According to Walmart CEO Doug McMillon, Digimarc’s invisible barcode technology has the “potential to fundamentally change the checkout process.”

The new technology was launched in an effort to speed up the checkout process at the resister, both for shoppers and employees, as well as eliminate the need to search for a visible barcode.

Why Shoplifting at Walmart Is a Bad Idea

Walmart’s new checkout process via Digimarc is making it even harder for shoplifters to swipe unpaid items at the register.

According to Daily Mail, “if an item with an invisible barcode is moved over the self-checkout, in an attempt to appear as if it has been scanned but hasn’t, the computer will still pick up the item and register it for payment.”

Instead, would-be shoplifters who pretend to scan an item at the self-checkout register without any intention to actually pay for said item, will be charged for the item as the invisible barcodes are registered by the system automatically.

Walmart is known for keeping a close eye on customers during checkout in an effort to detect shoplifting attempts and prevent product loss.

According to Business Insider, the chain uses “cameras to monitor registers for items that have not been scanned and notifies employees of the missed item. Employees overseeing the self-checkout stations can monitor the registers from mobile phones and, in the case of issues, pause the machines to prevent customers from checking out.”

Walmart is also known for having customers arrested for shoplifting offenses, as well as for building cases against repeat offenders.

Shoplifters at Walmart will typically be detained by an in-store loss prevention officer until local authorities arrive.