Retailers Say Facial Recognition is 'Most Effective' Anti-Theft Measure
Majority of Food Retailers Are in 'Theft Crisis' Mode

Avery Dennison survey takes current pulse of companies in the U.S. and U.K.

It's no secret that retail theft has become a major issue for grocers in recent years, and solutions company Avery Dennison is taking a closer look at how industry executives are currently looking at the issue. According to new research from the company, 65% of food retailers in the United States and United Kingdom say the impact of theft has reached a crisis point, with 38% of respondents saying theft is a bigger concern today than it was 12 months ago.

Avery Dennison surveyed 300 senior retail leaders representing brands with more than 200 stores, and for food retailers, addressing the impact of theft was found to be the leading business concern. Other pressing concerns included optimizing omnichannel, improving staff efficiencies, minimizing supply chain disruptions and addressing talent shortages, respectively.

Grocers are still in the process of boosting their response to theft, with 55% reporting that 3% to 4% of their total IT budget is allocated to retail theft detection and prevention. Half of the retailers surveyed said those budgets include an increase in spend over the last two years. However, 27% believe those allocated resources are insufficient.

Francisco Melo, president, Solutions Group at Avery Dennison, said: "To protect profits and create safer store environments, it is imperative that retailers take a data-led approach to security. Leveraging advanced track and trace technologies such as RFID, with real-time analytics, will help to turn loss prevention into a proactive operation rather than a reactive one."

Indeed, facial recognition technology was said to be the most effective measure deployed to date among food retailers, followed by security guards, license plate recognition technology and RFID tags, respectively.

As for the future, 77% of respondents said they have either deployed RFID tags or plan to in the next two years, while 42% will deploy AI-enabled cameras and 36% plan to introduce facial recognition technology during that time. progressivegrocer.com


Canadian Retailers Grapple With Crime Surge
Retail Council of Canada looks to reduce shoplifting, violence at stores

Canadian businesses and police services are working together to cut down on retail theft and violence.

Rui Rodrigues with the Retail Council of Canada told CTV News Atlantic's Todd Battis in an interview Monday it launched a loss prevention task force a year-and-a-half ago to bring together police and businesses so they could figure out a joint approach to tackling retail crime.

"We have organized events with police and retailers where we can blitz areas where we see retail crime," Rodrigues said. "We have 60 police services across the country that participate regularly. It's a continued effort."

Retailers in Atlantic Canada and beyond have expressed frustration and concern over what many of them see as a rising level of shoplifting and violence at their stores. Rodrigues noted while it's hard to get concrete statistics on such a rise, anecdotally the Retail Council has heard thefts could be up by 30-to-50 per cent.

In 2021, Statistics Canada reported a 1,484 per cent rate change in shoplifting under $5,000 in Halifax compared to 2020.

Thefts outside of shoplifting are also problems in Atlantic Canada. Earlier this year, the New Brunswick RCMP announced they will no longer respond to gas pump thefts unless there is an immediate or ongoing threat to public safety.

Rodrigues said the Retail Council plans to continue working with government and police to address crimes in stores.  atlantic.ctvnews.ca


Anti-Theft Measures Spark Some Backlash
Ottawa, Canada: Concerns about Plexiglas prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall Plexiglas barriers.

Loblaws says the Plexiglas barriers have been installed as part of its anti-theft measures. "If somebody wants to steal something from a grocery store, they're going to steal it anyway," said shopper Gilles Lacasse. "I think it's a waste of money. They don't look nice. Almost like telling you not to go in there." Some shoppers have safety concerns with the configuration of the barriers including the height and width-often spanning for a long stretch before any gaps by the entrance and exit.

In a statement to CTV News Ottawa, Loblaw writes that "using Plexiglas partitions is a proven, industry-wide way to prevent theft and keep a convenient, welcoming customer experience." The statement adds that the barriers are "fully compliant with all safety and regulatory plans." The Retail Council of Canada echoed concerns around rising theft.  ottawa.ctvnews.ca


Using 'Fraudulent Coupons' at Self-Checkout Machines
UK: Grocery chain facing rise in 'fraudulent coupons' as social media users brag of huge discounts

Some shoppers at UK grocery-store chain Sainsbury's say they've got huge discounts using its app.

They appear to have repeatedly scanned a coupon at its self-service checkouts, taking large discounts off their shop. Sainsbury's said it had observed an "increase in fraudulent coupons."

A UK grocery chain says it has been dealing with an increase in "fraudulent coupons" after social media users bragged of getting huge discounts on their shopping by repeatedly scanning the same coupon. Videos posted on social media, some of which have gained millions of views, seem to show some Sainsbury's customers getting massive reductions on their shops when they use its self-service checkouts by scanning screenshots of a promotional coupon on the retailer's app multiple times.

The Grocer, a British publication focusing on the grocery store trade, said that a step-by-step guide on using the coupons had been shared via a voice note on messaging platform WhatsApp. Retail Gazette reported that the coupon appeared in Sainsbury's app on Monday.

"We have seen an increase in fraudulent coupons in our stores and we have processes in place to detect and block them," a Sainsbury's spokesperson told Business Insider. "We also have in-store detectives monitoring for fraudulent attempts and we are working closely with the police on this issue." businessinsider.com


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Kroger-Albertsons Merger Put on Hold
Judge puts temporary hold on Kroger, Albertsons $25 billion deal
A Denver District Court has temporarily halted the proposed $25 billion merger of The Kroger Co. and Albertsons Cos.

During a hearing on July 25, Judge Andrew J. Luxen granted a preliminary injunction delaying the merger and also cancelled an Aug. 12 hearing on the matter. The two companies agreed to the delay as they await a court ruling on a lawsuit filed by the attorney general of Colorado to block the deal. The trial is set to start on Sept. 30.

In a statement, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said he was pleased "that Kroger and Albertsons agreed to halt their plans to merge until the court rules on the state's lawsuit to permanently block the grocery merger."

"This is great news for shoppers, workers, farmers, and other suppliers who can rest assured that this mega merger will not go into effect during harvest season and while kids are headed back to school," he continued.

The Federal Trade Commission and a group of states have separately sued to challenge the deal in Oregon federal court. A hearing in that case is set to start on Aug. 26.

Earlier this month, Kroger released a list of the stores, distribution centers and plant locations that the two grocers plan to divest to C&S Wholesale Grocers as they look to allay antitrust concerns over their proposed $24.6 billion merger with Albertsons Cos. The assets include 579 Kroger- and Albertsons-owned stores across 18 states and Washington, D.C., including 124 locations in the state of Washington, 101 in Arizona, 91 in Colorado and 63 in California.  chainstoreage.com


Department Stores Suddenly Making Waves After Struggling to Stay Relevant
The Backroom Podcast: All of a sudden, a lot is happening at department stores

The team discusses a barrage of news from several players in a retail space that has been written off many times.

The department store is a century-plus-old retail model that has survived a slew of transformational challenges, including the rises of specialty retail and e-commerce. But in recent decades, several if not all major players have struggled to stay relevant, amid the decline of the American mall and the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lately, though, several players in the space - including Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and more - have garnered headlines with major developments, announcements and possibilities. In fact, another department store, Southern retailer Belk, made the news after this episode was recorded. Belk picked up new owners with controlling interest in the company and shrunk its debt by nearly $1 billion, the biggest financial relief since its 24-hour spin through bankruptcy three years ago.

Retail Dive Senior Editor Kaarin Vembar and Senior Reporter Daphne Howland discuss what's going on at these retailers, what it might mean and what could happen next. retaildive.com


The 'Surveillance Pricing' Debate
Should Surveillance Pricing Be Allowed or Prevented?
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is investigating "surveillance pricing," where companies use artificial intelligence to set different prices for the same item based on individual customer data. This practice could lead to varying prices for the same product depending on a customer's characteristics and behavior.

According to CNBC, the FTC has questioned eight companies - Mastercard, JPMorgan Chase, Accenture, McKinsey, Task, Revionics, Bloomreach, and Pros - about their use of AI and customer data in pricing. FTC Chair Lina Khan expressed concerns that such practices could exploit personal data to set higher prices and undermine privacy. The investigation aims to reveal how these practices affect consumer pricing.

"Firms that harvest Americans' personal data can put people's privacy at risk. Now firms could be exploiting this vast trove of personal information to charge people higher prices. Americans deserve to know whether businesses are using detailed consumer data to deploy surveillance pricing, and the FTC's inquiry will shed light on this shadowy ecosystem of pricing middlemen." - FTC Chair Lina Khan via the FTC

Different forms of price surveillance have existed for quite some time - from charging different amounts to specific age groups to the newer notion of dynamic pricing at fast-food restaurants. Additionally, individual businesses that have loose pricing can adapt based on their perception of their customer. For example, appliance installers, car repair shops, and handymen might charge more if they notice that their customer is from a more affluent neighborhood or has an expensive car. retailwire.com


Saks Global confirms layoffs
Following the announcement that Saks Fifth Avenue owner HBC has an agreement to acquire rival Neiman Marcus Group for $2.65 billion, Saks on Wednesday confirmed a shakeup of its operations that will entail an undisclosed number of layoffs.

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