SHOPPERS are criticizing a popular supermarket’s anti-theft policies which they say are not effective in stopping shoplifters and other criminals.
Earlier this year, Canadian-owned Loblaws revealed it would install plexiglass barriers around self-checkout areas at its Atlantic Superstores in Halifax, Canada.
2
Local Reports revealed that rival Walmart was implementing the new anti-theft measure as a way to stop “organized crime.”
Photos show plexiglass barriers positioned around the self-checkout area, preventing customers from exiting between machines.
Although local radio station Q104 FM indicated that Loblaws would have defended the measure, buyers are in an uproar.
Sylvain Charlebois, director of Dalhousie University’s Agro-Food Analysis Laboratory, told the radio station that the anti-theft measure is ruining the shopping experience to prevent shoplifting.
“All I see right now is an industry that protects itself without really trying to understand the customer experience,” Charlebois said.
Hundreds of shoppers agreed, flooding the comments of a local station’s Facebook post.
Not only did customers say it would stop them from shopping in the store, but they also claimed the anti-theft measure would not be effective in stopping mass theft.
“No, these measures are not guaranteed because they are not effective,” wrote one customer.
“No amount of gates, railings or plexiglass will reduce or prevent shoplifting. Anyone who wants to hide their merchandise in their bag or under their coat will do so with or without these accessories.
“They are effective in reducing the number of shoppers, because some honest people like me cannot bear to enter superstores or Wal-Marts with gates and bars. I took my business elsewhere.”
“I don’t need to feel like I’m in prison just to shop,” another customer added.
“Everyone is automatically a criminal now,” wrote a third.
While a fourth customer commented: “It just gives me more reason to keep shopping elsewhere.
“I might go to the grocery store once or twice a year to buy extra-large ziplock bags for my homemade bread. I was at the Windsor store last week, they did renos and the place feels cold and industrial like a prison.”
These buyers are not alone in their frustrations and concerns.
Major retailers have been forced to adopt a wide range of anti-theft policies to curb rampant theft.
Anti-theft measures implemented by retailers
Retailers in the US and Canada have implemented strategies designed to combat theft. The US Sun has compiled a list of measures that have been implemented in stores.
- Lock items in cabinets.
- Safety stakes.
- Security cameras.
- Signs warning about the impact of theft.
- Receipt scanners.
- Receipt checks.
- Carts with locking technology
Stores like Walmart and Target have begun locking up items, checking receipts after checkout, and in extreme cases, removing self-checkout from stores altogether.
The new measures have made some consumers feel like “criminals” within retailers.
“Walmart is a complete joke,” wrote one angry X user.
“Every time I go into the store and pay with my hard-worked money (60 hours a week), I get treated like a damn criminal when I leave,” he continued.
“I refuse to shop at this store because of this and I refuse to stop for any employee to show my receipt.”
Latest self-checkout changes
Retailers are evolving their self-checkout strategy in an effort to speed checkout times and reduce theft.
Walmart shoppers were shocked when self-checkout lanes at several locations were made available only to Walmart+ members.
Other customers reported that self-checkout was closed at specific times and more cashiers were offered in its place.
While shoppers feared that shoplifting would fuel the updates, a Walmart spokesperson revealed that store managers are simply experimenting with ways to improve checkout performance.
One bizarre experiment included an RFID-powered self-checkout kiosk that would thwart fiercely contested receipt checks.
However, this test has been discontinued.
At Target, items are being limited in auto-checkout.
Last fall, the brand researched new express self-checkout lanes in 200 stores with 10 items or less for added convenience.
In March 2024, this policy was expanded to 2,000 stores in the US.
Shoppers also identified their local Walmart stores restricting customers to 15 items or less to use self-checkout machines.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25572450/080124_HP_OmniBook_X_ADiBenedetto_0002.jpg?w=300&resize=300,300&ssl=1 "HP OmniBook X 14 review: A business laptop by any other name")
