I have been wondering if some supermarkets will get to the point soon where the cost of extra staff to operate counters with high value items stored out the back (Argos style) is lower than the cost of the thefts. Although I think the main issue at the moment isn't so much the high value stuff, its high levels of low value theft.
Depends how you define low value theft. There's this rediculous misconception doing the rounds that impoverished people are stealing to eat and that's the cause of the problem. To be honest, if it's the case that people are stealing tinned goods, pasta, bread etc to feed themselves then the low value of those products wouldn't be that noticeable.
But it you're referring to the
normalisation of theft, like buy one, take your own luxury item for free which I'm seeing a lot of, then followed by a mouth full of abuse, maybe a punch in the face and the audacity to complain about being asked to pay for something that you don't own then you're right.
But it's the gangs, addicts and professionals that have gone into hyperdrive at the moment. They've always existed of course, but now they've been given the thumbs up from national government, numerous police forces, celebrities and sympathetic journalists spreading misinformation, it's gone crazy. Due to the alarming increase in assaults and use of weapons, we're all being told to back off more than we ever have. Some police forces now don't even attend certain 999 calls from shops at all or investigate assaults anymore. My local force has a special section on their website designed to make us stop reporting where they demand that all CCTV is uploaded to their website or they won't do anything. Of course, very few internal CCTV systems currently have the ability to do this and taking a recording on your phone is no longer accepted as evidence in court and for some reason, you're not even allowed to drop footage off at a police station anymore. So we just don't bother reporting. This leaves us in a situation where every single member of this forum could walk in to a shop tomorrow, let's say for arguments sake nick around £50 worth of stuff and the worst that would happen is you'll be inconvenienced by a security guard and have the stuff taken back off you in most cases. Therefore, for all intents and purposes, shop theft is mostly legal.
They won't increase staffing levels. Payroll always goes down and not up. They're currently investing in CCTV systems that can meet police demands to upload (I suppose some forces will then have to find another way of stopping us from bothering them?), body worn camera's and AI surveillance that notifies remote CCTV centres when offenders enter stores with facial recognition. Negotiations are going on with suppliers to plant more security tags within packaging. Some stores are removing SKU's from ranges that generate high levels of theft so we'll probably see less choice in the future. Some chains are now starting to roll out locked glass doors for high value things such as spirts where you have to press a button to alert staff to get the product for you, similar to how perfume cabinets in Boots work. Kiosks are being secured with screens (a bit like you get in a bank but not as full on) and barriers at self-service checkouts that won't let you out without proof of payment. Store layouts are starting to revert back to how they used to be a few decades ago, with 1 way opening entrance gates and alarmed checkout barriers to restrict exit from stores without going through a checkout first.
Some of this will be paid for by price rises, but the market is so competitive, there's a very low limit to that. The majority will likely be paid for by a mixture of payroll cuts from continuing to take out food counters, customer Cafes, staff canteens etc and store closures. Online food is cost intensive, but dark stores where customers won't even be able to enter the store and only online picking takes place will probably be a part of the future. A good thing I suppose if it keeps me employed until retirement. But we're approaching the point where stock loss is nearing parity with wastage costs, it was under half that 2 decades ago.
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