A spike in petty theft prompted a local supermarket in Australia to close its self-serve checkouts.
This comes as major supermarkets such as Coles and Woolworths introduce more security measures, which frustrated some customers.
The IGA in Greenslopes, which is located in Brisbane, reportedly decided to close its self-serve facilities permanently.
A sign noted that the increase in petty theft was the reason for the establishment’s decision to close its self-serve counters.
According to Gary Mortimer, a retail expert from QUT, Australian retailers are reportedly losing around $9 billion annually due to the theft.
This affects both major supermarkets and smaller shops.
As a result, he believes that the number of petty theft cases will increase in the future.
In response, major supermarkets such as Woolworths and Coles have introduced various security measures.
Some of these include the use of cameras and artificial intelligence.
In response, Drakes supermarkets has reportedly placed expensive cuts of meat inside security boxes equipped with GPS trackers.
Mortimer noted that smaller shops, such as IGA, are more vulnerable to theft as they lack the same security measures.
He said this shows that either retailers follow a well-defined strategy or they are prone to being victimized.
A survey conducted in Australia revealed that more than 1 in 10 individuals have stolen due to the cost-of-living crisis.
The survey also found that about 5% of the country’s shoppers have stolen from the self-checkout counters.
Some confessed to intentionally lying about what they had bought to get around the system.
According to Mortimer, the rising cost of living has a direct correlation with the increase in theft cases in retail establishments, such as supermarkets and electronics stores.