Inflation in Germany remains at a high level. Consumers have to spend more money on groceries and drugstore items in the supermarket. That causes misunderstanding. Many customers become thieves in the process. FOCUS online says how supermarkets act against thieves.
Supermarkets and discounters do not publish specific figures, but branch employees and private detectives confirm that the number of thieves has increased sharply compared to 2021.
In the supermarket, thieves particularly target coffee, chocolate, meat products and honey. To protect themselves from theft, companies rely on anti-theft labels and other alarm devices that are attached directly to the food for the first time.
These are only deactivated or removed at the checkout and when paying.
The press offices do not confirm the theft protection on products. They explain that they do not comment publicly on “any security measures” in the branches and numbers.
As FOCUS Online found out, discounters and supermarkets are specifically equipping their branches with anti-theft mechanisms at the checkout. But it is also a fact that the majority of branches do not have the technology to secure goods with anti-theft protection. According to industry insiders, the labels are primarily used as a deterrent. “They are glued on, but the necessary goods security with an integrated antenna is missing at the exit.”
The first Edeka stores therefore take a drastic step. Anyone who enters the shops with a large backpack or bags must hand them in at the checkout with immediate effect.
But many retailers are also targeting prams. A ban seems unlikely. Rather, private detectives and employees take a closer look at how customers behave in the supermarket.
A stroller is often misused for theft. Police reports from the past few months have shown that.
An employee of a privately run supermarket in Bremerhaven confirmed a case in which a thief placed frozen chicken legs, coffee and honey under the bed of a baby carriage. The theft was noticed because the baby was crying loudly and the mother was not taking care of the child. In addition, the mother did not want to raise the sunscreen when asked to do so.
The employees then called the police, who secured the stolen goods. Groceries with a sales value of more than 180 euros were in the stroller.
Do you work in food retail? Tell us about your weird, funny, bold, and noteworthy experiences with shoplifters. What did you experience?
Write to Konstantinos.mitsis(a)burda-forward.de – write “supermarket” in the subject line.
