TJ Maxx workers reportedly wear body cameras to combat theft — but many say there are other solutions available.
Retail company TJX, parent company of TJ Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods, announced that some hourly retail security employees will now wear body cameras to combat shoplifting while protecting customers and employees.
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TJX chief financial officer John Klinger revealed the body camera plan in a May 2024 earnings call.
“It’s almost like a de-escalation, where people are less likely to do something when they’re being filmed,” he said.
However, a TJ Maxx employee in Florida said CNN that body cameras are “just for show” and don’t make workers feel safer.
These security employees’ job “was to stand there with the tactical vest labeled ‘security’ and the camera mounted on the vest,” said the anonymous Florida worker, who was not authorized to speak to reporters.
“It seems that the implementation of this program with the cameras is not intended to achieve anything, but only something that the company can point to. [sic] say it is improving security,” they said.
But it probably won’t end with TJ Maxx.
DO YOU FEEL THIS?
Last year, a survey conducted by the National Retail Federation found that 35% of major U.S. retailers are considering implementing body cameras for employees.
Many retailers, including TJX, blame reported increases in thefts since the pandemic on new security measures like this.
In fact, 90% of asset protection experts stated that theft has become an increasingly greater risk over the past three years and is also more violent.
But if this is true, people are left wondering why a multimillion-dollar company would be willing to put its employees in danger in these “violent” situations.
‘IT’S SCARY’
Customers expressed their opinions about the extreme anti-theft measure via social media.
“It appears TJ Maxx is doing everything it can to avoid paying for competent and experienced security officers, while putting untrained personnel at risk of risking their lives for the benefit of TJ Maxx,” one person said. commented in a news post about the tactic on LinkedIn.
“This is scary for associates and so sickening that we live like this now,” expressed another on LinkedIn.
Yet another buyer chimed in and said it didn’t make much sense.
“TJX Now Requires Cashiers to Wear Body Cameras, Why?”. he asked sarcastically.
“They want to reduce shoplifting. Ah yes, shoplifting, a crime that appears to be the main threat to retailers’ profits,” he wrote.
WIN SOME, LOSE SOME
According to research from Capital OneBig retailers lost a whopping $121.6 billion to retail theft last year, but this still doesn’t paint the full picture.
Corporate profits have soared to record levels, now accounting for the majority of national income over the past decade, according to the National Bureau of Economic Analysis.
In fact, TJX alone has reported nearly $17 billion in gross profit so far this year.
This is an increase of almost 18% compared to the previous year, according to data acquired by Macrotrends.
This has left many customers worried about the state of retail shopping in 2024.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
