A checkout apparatus comprises a reading section for reading article codes of articles, and a first feeding section for feeding the articles whose article code are read by the reading section. The checkout apparatus further comprises a distributing section for distributing the articles fed from the first feeding section to one of first and second directions, a second feeding section for feeding the articles distributed in the first direction by the distributing section to a packaging area, a stock section for stocking the articles distributed in the second direction by the distributing section within a stock area separated from the packaging area, and a processing section for checking whether or not an article fed by the first feeding section coincides with an article whose article code is read by the reading section, and for controlling the distributing section so as to distribute the article fed from the first feeding section in the first direction when the checked articles are coincident with each other and in the second direction when the checked articles are not coincident with each other.