SHOPPERS are criticizing a popular grocery store’s anti-theft measures, saying they are ineffective at stopping shoplifters and other criminals.
Earlier this year, Canadian company Loblaws announced that it would be introducing plexiglass barriers around self-checkout areas in its Atlantic Superstores in Halifax, Canada.
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Local reports revealed that the Walmart competitor introduced the new anti-theft measure as a way to curb “organized crime.”
The photos show the plexiglass barriers that are installed around the self-checkout area and prevent customers from leaving the area between machines.
While local radio station Q104 FM reported that Loblaws had defended the measure, there is great uproar among shoppers.
Sylvain Charlebois, head of Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab, told the radio station that the anti-theft measure disrupts the shopping experience and prevents shoplifting.
“Right now, all I see is an industry protecting itself without really trying to understand the customer experience,” Charlebois said.
Hundreds of buyers shared this opinion and flooded the local station’s Facebook comments.
Not only did customers say that this would prevent them from shopping at the store altogether, but they also claimed that the anti-theft measure was not sufficient to prevent mass theft.
“No, these measures are not justified 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 goods in a bag or under their coat will do so with or without these devices.
“They are effective because they reduce the number of shoppers, because some honest people like me can’t stand going into superstores or Wal-Marts with gates and railings. I go shopping elsewhere now.”
“I don’t have to feel like I’m in prison just to shop,” another shopper chimed in.
“Today everyone is automatically a criminal,” wrote a third.
And a fourth customer commented: “This is another reason for me to shop elsewhere.”
“I go to the supermarket maybe once or twice a year to buy extra-large ziplock bags for my homemade bread. I was in the Windsor store last week, they’ve been doing renovations and the store looks cold and industrial like a prison.”
These buyers are not alone in their frustration and worries.
Large retailers have been forced to introduce a variety of anti-theft measures to curb rampant theft.
Retailers take action against theft
Retailers in the US and Canada have implemented anti-theft strategies. The US Sun has compiled a list of the measures that have been implemented in stores.
- Locking items in cabinets.
- Safety pins.
- surveillance cameras.
- Signs warn of the consequences of theft.
- Receipt scanner.
- Receipt checks.
- Cart with locking technology
Stores like Walmart and Target have begun locking away items, checking receipts after payment, and, in extreme cases, removing self-checkout lanes from stores altogether.
The new measures have made some shoppers feel like “criminals” in stores.
“Walmart is a joke,” wrote one angry X user.
“Every time I go to the store and pay with the money I worked hard for 60 hours a week, I get treated like a damn criminal when I leave the store,” he continued.
“For this reason, I refuse to shop at this store and I refuse to stop and show an employee the receipt.”
Latest changes to self-checkout
Retailers are developing their self-checkout strategies to shorten checkout times and reduce theft.
Walmart customers were shocked when self-checkout lanes at several locations were made available only to Walmart+ members.
Other customers reported that the self-checkout lanes were closed at certain times and more cashiers were offered instead.
While customers feared that shoplifting was the reason for the changes, a Walmart spokesperson said store managers were simply experimenting with ways to improve checkout performance.
One bizarre experiment involved an RFID-supported self-checkout kiosk that was intended to eliminate the hotly contested receipt check.
However, this test run was discontinued.
At Target, the number of items at self-checkout lanes is limited.
Last fall, the brand tested new express self-checkout lanes with a maximum of 10 items in 200 stores to increase convenience.
Starting in March 2024, this policy will be expanded to 2,000 stores in the United States.
Customers have also noticed that their local Walmart stores are limiting the number of customers at self-checkout lanes to 15 items or less.
