Walgreens Store Fights Shoplifting by Chaining Freezer—Will Others Follow?
It appears like nearly any retailer you stroll into lately has some merchandise locked behind instances, making what needs to be a fast purchasing journey that rather more irritating. Retailers like Walmart have been slammed for locking up merchandise that value lower than $10, whereas others like Goal have began placing glass instances throughout complete aisles. Now, one Walgreens location is testing a special tactic, chaining up freezers to stop shoplifting. Learn on to seek out out extra about this new anti-theft measure, and if different shops will comply with.
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Corporations aren’t apprehensive about thieves for no cause. Organized retail crime (ORC)—which is the large-scale theft of merchandise—has turn into a rising menace for U.S. shops, in accordance with the Nationwide Retail Federation (NRF). The group reported that ORC schemes had elevated by 26.5 % in 2021, leading to practically $100 billion in losses for retailers that 12 months.
“Not like shoplifting occasions the place a person steals for private consumption or use, there was a dramatic improve throughout the nation within the variety of large-scale, focused thefts utilizing strategies of coordinated and deliberate assaults on retailers,” the NRF defined. “The losses drive up prices for retailers and, in flip, costs for shoppers. Gadgets stolen run the gamut from low-cost, simply fenced items like razor blades and laundry detergent to designer clothes and high-end liquor.”
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A San Francisco Walgreens not too long ago stepped up its safety towards thieves. Betty Yu, a reporter for native CBS-affiliate KPIX, tweeted a video on July 17 displaying that one of many metropolis’s shops, positioned at sixteenth and Geary, has began chaining up its complete freezer part. Employees on the location instructed the information outlet that they carried out this new anti-theft measure throughout the previous two weeks.
“Employees stated usually shoplifters clear out all of the pizza and ice cream each night time,” Yu wrote in her tweet. “They’re often hit 20x a day. The entire retailer is nearly locked up.”
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Based mostly on social media posts, evidently freezers are being chained up at different Walgreens shops.
“I used to be at Walgreens throughout from StuyTown and a few NYU college students had been horrified once they discovered the freezer part was additionally locked up at night time,” Alie Forza tweeted on July 18 in response to Yu’s unique publish. “I walked previous them and stated, welcome to NYC!”
And it is not simply Walgreens. Sports activities podcaster Dan Katz shared {that a} CVS retailer in Chicago has additionally put frozen objects behind bars.
“There’s an ice cream thief at my native CVS in order that they lock the ice cream freezer,” he tweeted on July 8. “And having to name to the entrance to get the ice cream freezer unlocked each different day is beginning to put on on me mentally. I’m so robust although, I will hold hitting that button.”
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In a press release to Finest Life, Walgreens spokeswoman Kris Lathan stated, “Retail crime is likely one of the high challenges going through our trade right this moment. We’re centered on the security of our sufferers, prospects and crew members.”
It isn’t but clear how widespread chained-up freezers will turn into, however particular person Walgreens areas recurrently check out these new approaches to stopping thieves. Over the previous 12 months, different Walgreens shops have taken steps like banning customers from bringing in baggage at night time, and placing nearly all the merchandise behind counters.
“We proceed to take preventative measures to securely deter theft and goal to ship the most effective affected person and buyer expertise,” the Walgreens spokeswoman added within the assertion. “And we’re working intently with regulation enforcement, elected officers and neighborhood leaders to attract better consideration to and enhance our response to retail crime.”