LOCK & KEY
‘We used to be a civilized society,’ cry shoppers as huge grocery chain locks down self-checkout area to stop theft
Other stores have employed even more dramatic anti-theft measures
SHOPPERS are fed up with theft after a huge supermarket chain made the controversial decision to enclose the self-checkout area with plexiglass walls.
Atlantic Superstore in Canada is being slammed by customers who say the anti-theft measures have gotten out of hand.
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On Monday, the retail chain made headlines for rolling out the barriers in stores around Halifax, which is the capital of Nova Scotia.
The decision was made to cut down on organized crime like shoplifting rings, according to the chain.
Shoppers immediately voiced their frustrations with the move, and said they were tired of theft ruining the customer experience.
"We used to be a civilized society," one shopper said on X.
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Others admitted they understood why the retailer was driven to put up the wall, saying, "High theft calls for high measures."
One shopper slammed the government for "refusing to address crime," and believed elected officials should be coming up with solutions instead of retailers.
"They could just hire cashiers and remove the self-checkouts," another person wrote.
"Everyone hates the self-checkout anyways."
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Outside one Atlantic Superstore, customers gave their reactions to the update.
Some said the shopping experience was fine, as others asked if the measures were truly necessary, Global News reported.
Watch moment blatant thieves walk out of Family Dollar with bags full of stolen goods forcing store to close
When asked about the glass walls, Atlantic Superstore said the real problem is "organized crime" because it affects "safety, security, and wellbeing."
"Using plexiglass partitions is a proven, industry-wide way to prevent theft and keep a positive, open-concept-style customer experience," the grocer said in a statement given to Global News.
"We've used them in locations across Canada for a number of years, and we're rolling them out in various Loblaw-owned stores in Atlantic Canada.
"They are fully compliant with all safety and regulatory plans."
Anti-theft measures seen in stores
Retailers across the US and Canada have rolled out strategies designed to combat theft. The U.S. Sun has compiled a list of measures that have been implemented at stores.
- Locking items in cabinets
- Security pegs
- Security cameras
- Signs warning about the impact of theft
- Receipt scanners
- Receipt checks
- Carts with locking technology
- Guard dogs
- Armed private security detail
- Plexiglass walls
ANTI-THEFT MADNESS
At The Home Depot, customers are also starting to see anti-theft measures ramp up.
One shopper who visited a store in New Rochelle, New York, said they were horrified to see the location had deployed guard dogs to protect their inventory.
Security guards were seen wearing bulletproof vests and MSA Security caps constantly patrol the store, according to The New York Post.
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Another furious customer said Walmart is "crazy" because of changes at self-checkout.
The shopper raged over receipt checks and software that alerts workers to always come to their kiosk.