SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah trans woman has filed a harassment lawsuit against Kroger Co. after a Smith’s self-checkout machine reportedly flagged what it described as an “unexpected package in the baggage area.”
According to court documents, the plaintiffs allege that the phrasing “constitutes targeted misgendering, public shaming, and emotional distress,” particularly when announced loudly by a robotic voice.
“I was just trying to buy kale,” said lead plaintiff Flynn (last name withheld). “But apparently the machine felt the need to weigh in on my identity.”
Kroger, the parent company of Smith’s, issued a statement expressing regret “for any distress caused by our standard loss-prevention language,” and added that its machines “do not possess the capacity for malice, yet.”
The plaintiff is seeking damages, a public apology, and a software update that replaces the controversial phrase with: “A delightful surprise has arrived.”
