In light of the unprecedented rise in prices, the global economic crisis, and the noticeable increase in theft of food products from stores, some British stores have resorted to tightening the locks on the doors of their refrigerators.
Tesco Express in Tower Bridge Road now keeps its sausages and bacon behind a locked door.
pic.twitter.com/qxHEqoNdHq
— London SE1 Community Website (@se1) January 11, 2023
Activists on social media in Britain circulated pictures from inside a supermarket in the Bermondsey district of the capital, London, informing its customers that the doors of the glass refrigerators in which some types of meat are kept are locked, and directed customers to seek help from employees if they wanted to buy.
🥩In my local @AldiUK you now have to ask shop assistant for them to bring steaks from stock room.
To stop shoplifting.
I've seen security tags on high value products in supermarkets - but never this.
Grim times.
pic.twitter.com/xKPaUlmfKu
— Harry Wallop (@hwallop) January 6, 2023
The management of a supermarket reported that the locks on the glass doors were later removed, while confirming that this step came because "some expensive items require more security in individual stores."
Britain in 2022... Lurpak butter is at £6 a tub in ASDA and even has a security tag on it.
Mental!
😂🤦🏼♂️ pic.twitter.com/ZxOocgYeZg
— Charlie Bennett (@CharIieBennett) July 5, 2022
And the officials attached on the shelves of the products directive phrases to customers, in which it was written, "Meat is provided on demand. Please check the available goods on the right side, and request them by name from one of our employees. These products are only available on demand to keep our customers and our society safe from antisocial behavior."
Tesco puts security tags on milk after surge in 'thefts' in cost of living crisis😯 pic.twitter.com/eFpNoFcqzs
— London & UK Street News (@CrimeLdn) November 22, 2022
British journalist Harry Wallop published pictures he took in a store, where store officials sealed meat, alcoholic beverages and sweets to keep them from being stolen.
🥩In my local @AldiUK you now have to ask shop assistant for them to bring steaks from stock room.
To stop shoplifting.
I've seen security tags on high value products in supermarkets - but never this.
Grim times.
pic.twitter.com/xKPaUlmfKu
— Harry Wallop (@hwallop) January 6, 2023
Journalist Wallop reported that he asked why those "strange" signs were put up, to which one of the employees replied, "If we offer steaks outside, they will be stolen immediately from the store."
I asked a member of staff why the oddly worded sign.
“If we put steaks out, they get immediately shop lifted immediately”
Here's another sign in spirits section 🍸 pic.twitter.com/YG4SUQSanb
— Harry Wallop (@hwallop) January 6, 2023
According to data published by the British newspaper The Telegraph, theft cases in British shops increased by 16% in the last months of last year.
Last year, several stores in the United Kingdom placed security tags on goods that were vulnerable to theft due to their high price, such as milk, eggs and butter.