Nearly two in five shoppers intentionally steal from self-checkouts, according to survey.
Kingdom Security has warned that stealing from self-checkouts by intentionally not scanning items or weighing them incorrectly has become a normalised habit for supermarket shoppers. The crisis hitting UK stores is costing retailers upwards of £4 billion in sales, amounting to over 4% of total retail sales being stolen each year.
As an award-winning security provider, we partner with several of the country’s top retailers and supermarkets, and the ‘scan and swipe’ phenomenon hitting stores has become a part of normalised behaviour for many since the pandemic. New data from The Grocer found 37% of supermarket shoppers deliberately fail to scan at least one item while using self-service checks. The nationwide poll of 1,000 Brits also saw 32.5% admit to incorrectly weighing loose items to lower their bill.
The ‘scan and swipe’ phenomenon taking over British stores takes many forms. But whether it’s failure to scan an item, incorrect weighing, or passing off one item as another, Kingdom Security warns that they are all intentional acts of shoplifting, and shop security and shoppers need to stay vigilant for potential theft at self-checkouts.
This new wave of shoplifting has rapidly become normalised in UK stores since the COVID-19 pandemic, with retailers being forced to reduce face-to-face contact in-store, and with many self-checkouts being positioned closer to the exits and further from shop staff, it has encouraged many to believe they can steal and get away with it.
John Nussbaum, Director of Service for our Retail Division, says: “It’s alarming to see this rise over the past years and our officers are only seeing more and more theft in supermarkets and shopping centres across the country. While some might think this is somehow a lesser offence than outright stealing without paying for a thing, stealing from a machine is still stealing from the store, and ultimately stealing from fellow customers through increased costs.
“The reduction of face-to-face contact at checkouts has made some feel emboldened to shoplift in this way. We’re urging vigilance to all supermarket shoppers. If you see shoplifting at a self-service checkout, immediately report it to instore security or staff. If you are tempted to steal at self-checkouts, remember this is a serious offence that isn’t worth doing to save a few pounds.” While appearing to be a victimless crime, shoplifting adds UK households over £137 to shoppers’ annual food bill, according to the Police Foundation’s forecast in line with inflation, as well as causing undue stress for shop workers and shop security.
Much of this cost comes from retailers investing in anti-theft protection and security devices to prevent the £4 billion in lost revenue each year. In effect, each act of shoplifting forces stores to step up actions to prevent theft.
John is also warning against retail staff and shopkeepers taking matters into their own hands when confronting shoplifters, cautioning against members of the public putting themselves at risk. John added: “I’m advising caution to those considering confronting shoplifters, ensuring your personal safety isn’t risk is of the utmost concern. If you see shoplifting in store, immediately alert shop security or call the authorities to intervene, as they are specifically trained to deal with these situations.”
Retailers and businesses, John added, can do several things to protect themselves, including putting into place special protocols for self-checkout machines and hiring extra security enforcement during at-risk periods.
