Walmart's clever technological solution to stop shoplifting without annoying honest customers
4 months, 1 week ago

Walmart's clever technological solution to stop shoplifting without annoying honest customers

Daily Mail  

Walmart is testing technology which would allow customers unlock secured display cases with their cell phones. Walmart is reportedly testing technology which would allow customers to open locked shelves with their cell phones Not only does locking up items frustrate customers, but it also creates more work for employees who have to travel around stores opening the locks manually with a key - especially if the store is low on staff. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said in a recent earnings call that customers are growing so tired of seeing products locked up in stores and pharmacies that they are flocking toward delivery services. Not only does locking up items frustrate customers, but it also creates more work for employees who have to travel around stores opening the locks manually with a key - especially if the store is low on staff Walmart has previously said shrink, which is the industry term for a loss of inventory due to theft, damage, or other factors, is a challenge for retailers Many retailers have also put increased checks on self-service registers, or simply removed them entirely.

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History of this topic

CVS is trialing innovative technology to tackle shoplifting
2 months, 2 weeks ago

CVS is trialing innovative technology to tackle shoplifting

Daily Mail  

CVS is trialing innovative technology to help tackle shoplifting in its stores without inconveniencing customers. In the past few years, major retailers - including CVS and rival drugstore Walgreens plus Walmart and Target - have increasingly locked up items in a bid to prevent shoplifting. 'We've seen a massive increase in retail crime, across not just CVS, but retailers across …

Stop trivialising ‘devastating’ high street thefts, police urged
4 months, 2 weeks ago

Stop trivialising ‘devastating’ high street thefts, police urged

The Telegraph  

According to official figures, there were 443,995 incidents of theft from shops recorded by police in the year to March 2024, up 30pc on a year earlier. The British Retail Consortium estimates that there are 17m incidents of shop theft every year, costing retailers almost £2bn every year. Lord Foster said there was more to do to educate the public …

Walmart has come up with 'insane' way to stop shoplifting at self-checkouts
6 months, 2 weeks ago

Walmart has come up with 'insane' way to stop shoplifting at self-checkouts

Daily Mail  

Walmart has come up with an imaginative way to crack down on shoplifting at its self-checkouts. The retailer has introduced a feature that lets shoppers simply move an item over the self-checkout scanner, which will register the item without needing to scan a visible bar code. The new technology works on any Walmart Great Value branded items, such as graham …

Self-checkout backlash continues as machines could be banned under proposed new state law
10 months, 2 weeks ago

Self-checkout backlash continues as machines could be banned under proposed new state law

Daily Mail  

Stores could be forced to remove self-checkout counters in California under proposed new rules. The machines were designed to cut labor costs but caused increased theft Self-checkout machines are especially vulnerable to theft since shoplifters can either not scan items or scan cheaper items Store employees would have to supervise no more than two self-checkout machines at a time and …

‘The bane of retail.’ To prevent theft, many big chains now lock up all kinds of merchandise
11 months ago

‘The bane of retail.’ To prevent theft, many big chains now lock up all kinds of merchandise

LA Times  

Detergent and deodorant, toothpaste, the entire shampoo aisle. “It’s all locked up,” Corey Potter sighed, describing shelves encased behind security glass at a Target near her Echo Park home. “Locking a product,” a spokesperson for CVS said in an email, “is a measure of last resort.” Retail theft has become a priority for California leaders in recent years. “These measures …

How a shoplifting crime wave is forcing the retreat of self-checkout
1 year ago

How a shoplifting crime wave is forcing the retreat of self-checkout

The Telegraph  

On the shop floor of supermarkets there is one shoplifting tactic which has become so commonplace, staff have given it its own name. “Best life hack ever,” one TikTok user claims in a viral video, joking that they managed to get a TV and Playstation through a self-service checkout by logging them as grapes or bananas. “The thing is when …

The Shoplifting Epidemic Touted By Fox News Is Likely Overblown, Data Shows
1 year, 3 months ago

The Shoplifting Epidemic Touted By Fox News Is Likely Overblown, Data Shows

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING There is a retail crime wave terrorizing Americans — if you’re tuned in to conservative media. After looking through a video database of Fox programming over the last five years, Media Matters found a very small number of retail theft mentions between 2019 and 2020 — just 35. Considering how many national outlets are based in New …

Shop thefts rise as police fail to show up in 76% of cases at Co-op stores that have seen 300,000 incidents this year
1 year, 4 months ago

Shop thefts rise as police fail to show up in 76% of cases at Co-op stores that have seen 300,000 incidents this year

Daily Mail  

Police are failing to attend hundreds of thousands of shoplifting incidents – which have surged by 43 per cent in a year. Figures compiled by the Co-op reveal almost 300,000 incidents, often involving abuse, violence and anti-social behaviour, at its stores this year. Co-op said it has seen an average of around 1,000 incidents a day across its 2,400 stores …

Shoplifting surged a staggering 64% in New York City in the past four years - with Los Angeles also seeing a 61% spike
1 year, 4 months ago

Shoplifting surged a staggering 64% in New York City in the past four years - with Los Angeles also seeing a 61% spike

Daily Mail  

Shoplifting continues to be a major crisis in America's two largest cities, as thefts increased 64 percent in New York City and 61 percent in Los Angeles over the last four years. Six other major American cities have Shoplifting continues to be a major crisis in America's two largest cities, as thefts increased 64 percent in New York City and …

America's shoplifting hotspots: The top 11 cities with the highest rate of retail theft revealed - and San Francisco isn't number one!
1 year, 4 months ago

America's shoplifting hotspots: The top 11 cities with the highest rate of retail theft revealed - and San Francisco isn't number one!

Daily Mail  

Los Angeles has the highest rate of retail crime, new figures show Downtown San Francisco has developed a reputation as a breeding ground for theft in recent years. Instead, Los Angeles had the highest rate of 'organized retail crime' for the fifth consecutive year in 2022, according to a report by the National Retail Federation. A report by the National …

Shopkeepers take the law into their own hands in war against shoplifting epidemic
1 year, 5 months ago

Shopkeepers take the law into their own hands in war against shoplifting epidemic

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. open image in gallery Poundland sales assistant Kelvin Blake …

Retailers lost up to $80 BILLION to theft in 2022 - up by $13 billion in a year
1 year, 5 months ago

Retailers lost up to $80 BILLION to theft in 2022 - up by $13 billion in a year

Daily Mail  

Retailers lost almost $80 billion to shoplifters last year, an increase of nearly $13 billion, amid a frightening rise in violent thefts in Democrat-run cities. And with up to 70 per cent of shrink accounted for by theft, it means retailers lost approximately $78.4 billion to shoplifters. The NRF's survey found that thefts, such as this one pictured taking place …

Thieves target stores every TWO seconds in Britain, costing retailers more than £1billion last year alone, shocking figures show - as Suella Braverman backs a Mail campaign to end the shoplifting epid
1 year, 6 months ago

Thieves target stores every TWO seconds in Britain, costing retailers more than £1billion last year alone, shocking figures show - as Suella Braverman backs a Mail campaign to end the shoplifting epid

Daily Mail  

The Mail on Sunday today reveals the shocking reality of the epidemic of shoplifting that is blighting Britain, as we launch a major campaign to crack down on the crime. The Mail on Sunday's campaign – calling for the police, Crown Prosecution Service and courts to be much tougher with shoplifters, and for a change in the law to make …

Why are US stores keeping toothpaste and deodorant under lock?
1 year, 6 months ago

Why are US stores keeping toothpaste and deodorant under lock?

Firstpost  

According to Walgreens and Rite Aid, the problem of organised retail crime — rings of thieves who steal merchandise from stores and typically resell them on internet marketplaces — is forcing companies to lock up more products and close some stores Many stores in the United States now appear to be fortresses. “Organised retail crime, and theft in general, is …

San Francisco Target store is being shoplifted every 10 minutes
1 year, 10 months ago

San Francisco Target store is being shoplifted every 10 minutes

Daily Mail  

It comes after a number of major chains announced they would be closing their stores in San Francisco due to soaring crime figures Workers have said that they watch people 'shoveling stuff' into bags and as a result multiple products are now placed behind plastic barriers. Employees say the San Francisco store near Union Square has been experiencing a theft …

Retailers try to curb theft while not angering shoppers
2 years, 1 month ago

Retailers try to curb theft while not angering shoppers

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — When the pandemic threat eased, Maureen Holohan was eager to scale back her online shopping and return to physical stores so she could more easily compare prices and scour ingredients on beauty and health care products for herself and her three children. Some are considering extreme measures, including Rite Aid Corp., whose chief retail officer Andre Persaud …

Walgreens executive admits retail theft concerns are overblown: ‘Maybe we cried too much’
2 years, 2 months ago

Walgreens executive admits retail theft concerns are overblown: ‘Maybe we cried too much’

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors …

U.S. retailers add cameras, steel cables to deter holiday crime
2 years, 4 months ago

U.S. retailers add cameras, steel cables to deter holiday crime

The Hindu  

Retailers ranging from Walmart to Barnes & Noble are installing cameras or locking away items to deter shoplifters and thieves as they brace for a post-pandemic rush of holiday shoppers this year. Crime has been in the spotlight since a spate of brazen, violent store thefts - including a "smash and grab" incident during the holiday season last year where …

Does your drugstore lock up more products than other L.A. stores? We ran the numbers
2 years, 4 months ago

Does your drugstore lock up more products than other L.A. stores? We ran the numbers

LA Times  

While shopping for decongestant at Walmart in Burbank, Michelle Krider ran into a frustrating sign of the times: The nasal spray was on a shelf, locked beyond plexiglass. We checked to see whether security measures were put on 15 individual items that were included in a list by the National Retail Federation of the top targets of organized retail crime. …

Retailers say thefts are at crisis level. The numbers say otherwise
3 years, 3 months ago

Retailers say thefts are at crisis level. The numbers say otherwise

LA Times  

A security guard watches the entrance to a Louis Vuitton store with boarded-up windows in San Francisco on Nov. 30. The country’s largest retail industry group, the National Retail Federation, estimated in its latest report that losses from organized retail theft average $700,000 per $1 billion in sales — or 0.07% of total sales — an amount roughly 330 times …

DAs, retailers say California needs tougher retail theft law
3 years, 3 months ago

DAs, retailers say California needs tougher retail theft law

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Spurred by a recent run of large-scale smash-and-grab robberies, prosecutors and retailers are pushing back on assertions by California’s governor and attorney general that they have enough tools to combat retail theft in the wake of a voter-approved easing of related laws. “We cannot function as a society where we have told people over and over again …

Rising retail thefts in Connecticut mimic broader US trend
3 years, 4 months ago

Rising retail thefts in Connecticut mimic broader US trend

Associated Press  

SOUTHINGTON, Conn. — Recent instances of retail thefts at Connecticut stores are reflecting a nationwide trend. Video posted online last week showed two men and a woman loading up a van with items from a supermarket in Southington then driving away in a van with no license plates. Experts also say stores are using a less confrontational approach to shoplifters …

The company who cried retail theft? Walgreens store closures cause uproar in San Francisco
3 years, 5 months ago

The company who cried retail theft? Walgreens store closures cause uproar in San Francisco

LA Times  

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. The Chronicle published a story that, citing data from the city’s Police Department, pointed out how one store set to close “had only seven reported shoplifting incidents this year and a total of 23 since 2018.” While it is important to note that not all incidents are reported to police, the …

Walgreens close wave of San Francisco stores over ‘organised’ shoplifting despite city’s promise to crack down on retail theft
3 years, 5 months ago

Walgreens close wave of San Francisco stores over ‘organised’ shoplifting despite city’s promise to crack down on retail theft

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Walgreens will close five …

Theft-plagued Walgreens is shutting down five more stores in San Francisco due to brazen shoplifting
3 years, 5 months ago

Theft-plagued Walgreens is shutting down five more stores in San Francisco due to brazen shoplifting

Daily Mail  

Walgreens is shuttering another five of its stores in crime-ridden San Francisco because of rampant shoplifting by thieves who waltz past security guards and sell the items outside the drugstore chain's doors. City and Walgreens officials have cited a reason for the closures as a spike in ‘organized retail crime,’ in which the thieves sell the stolen merchandise on the …

Empty shelves in New York drug stores as shoplifting surge hits city
3 years, 5 months ago

Empty shelves in New York drug stores as shoplifting surge hits city

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A wave of shoplifting …

San Francisco’s chain drug stores have a shoplifting problem
3 years, 9 months ago

San Francisco’s chain drug stores have a shoplifting problem

CNN  

CNN — A brazen daytime shoplifting incident captured on video at a Walgreens in San Francisco on Monday has highlighted what local officials say has become a consistent problem, particularly for chain drug stores in the city. “Unfortunately, this is another example of blatant retail theft which is an ongoing problem for several retailers in San Francisco,” Walgreens spokesman Phil …

Some stores end practice of locking up black beauty products
4 years, 9 months ago

Some stores end practice of locking up black beauty products

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Drugstore chains Walgreens and CVS Health say they will stop locking up beauty and hair care products aimed at black women and other women of color, joining Walmart in ending a practice at some stores that has drawn the ire of customers. “We are currently ensuring multicultural hair care and beauty products are not stored behind locked …

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