CVS insists locked up cosmetics and more are a ‘last-resort’ measure in face of crime wave despite shopper complaints | 959713O | 2024-05-01 19:08:01
CVS insists locked up cosmetics and more are a 'last-resort' measure in face of crime wave despite shopper complaints | 959713O | 2024-05-01 19:08:01
CVS shoppers are frustrated as more everyday essentials get placed behind barricades to curb theft.
But the drugstore is pushing back, insisting that locking up products is actually the retailer's last resort option.
In an effort to combat ongoing retail crime, stores have begun locking up common items.
Shoppers hoping to quickly grab a box of bandaids, a new toothbrush, or a can of disinfectant can expect to wait, as these items, and many more, remain locked behind anti-theft glass at stores like CVS.
And many customers aren't having it.
"I hate when I go in stores and everything gets f**king locked up like this," fumed one shopper in a recent YouTube video.
But higher-ups at retailers across the US aren't exactly thrilled about the constant crackdowns they're instituting to deter shoplifters.
"Locking a product is a measure of last resort," a spokesperson for CVS said in an email to the Los Angeles Times,
Several customers said they'd rather order items online than wait for an associate to unlock in-store cases.
Some shoppers suspect efforts to curb stealing and save stores money have actually hurt sales.
"Honestly I think it's a pretty fun new game to go into Walmart and see another thing locked behind glass that I'm now just gonna buy from Amazon," wrote Phil (@mrburgerboy) on X, formerly Twitter.
He claimed Walmart must be losing money because the shopping experience has been made "miserable" due to the retailer's anti-theft policies.
<!-- End of Brightcove Player --> Joe Budano, the chief executive of a company that makes buttons notifying associates when to unlock items, told the Los Angeles Times customer frustration likely leads to a "10% to 25% reduction in sales" and referred to anti-theft glass as "the bane of retail."
And yet, it remains the best option, according to some experts, after a rocky year in record thefts.
Retail theft accounted for about $112.1 billion in overall losses, according to data from the 2023 National Retail Security Survey reported by Fox Business.
That number is up from $93.9 billion in losses in 2021 and $90.8 billion in 2020, according to the survey.
</div> </div> CVS STORES SLAMMED
The conversation continues as several CVS locations have been forced to close due to theft-related crimes.
The company announced it would close 10% of its locations across the US, with about 300 of its 900 planned closures happening this month, The U.S. Sun previously reported.
At some CVS locations, stealing has become so commonplace that workers say they're told to let thieves go.
Assistance from police is not an option, according to the workers, who say law enforcement won't step in unless the crime meets a certain threshold.
Meanwhile, a CVS in Navy Yard, DC was ransacked after a group of people stormed through, stealing and wreaking havoc throughout the store.
Despite employees trying to control the situation, chaos ensued, resulting in a massive amount of items stolen.
Two security guards were on duty at the time but were seen exiting the store during the incident.
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