A familiar comfort – the Cadbury Dairy Milk caramel bar – now resides behind security glass in some Tesco stores. This isn't about protecting luxury items; it's a stark reflection of a growing crisis impacting everyday shopping.
The escalating cost of living has fueled a dramatic surge in shoplifting, forcing supermarkets to implement increasingly stringent security measures. Once reserved for alcohol, expensive electronics, and cuts of meat, these protections are now extending to confectionery.
Shoppers in Seven Kings, Ilford, were surprised to find the £2.10 chocolate bars – or £1.75 with a Clubcard – locked away, requiring staff assistance for purchase. The sight sparked a mix of amusement and concern among customers.
“Times are hard, people will nick anything,” one shopper, Kash Ali, observed, highlighting the desperation driving the thefts. Another, Angela, wryly noted the irony: “The case cost more than the chocolate bar.”
While the supermarket chain maintains these decisions are made on a store-by-store basis and aren’t a new company-wide policy, the practice isn’t unprecedented. Security boxes for confectionery are common in some European stores, including those operated by Carrefour.
This move comes as retailers grapple with a rising tide of theft, balancing the need to deter shoplifters with the safety of their employees. Sainsbury’s recently protected Lindt chocolate and laundry pods, while Tesco in Blackpool secured packs of ham with security tags.
Shoplifting has reached record levels, exceeding 530,000 reported instances in the past year. The situation is so severe that new legislation is being introduced to address the problem.
The government’s new Crime and Policing Bill aims to deter offenders by changing how shoplifting under £200 is treated, and also introduces a new offence specifically targeting assaults on retail workers. These measures signal a growing recognition of the challenges faced by stores and their staff.
Beyond security boxes, some Tesco stores are experimenting with slidable plastic strips on confectionery shelves, adding another layer of protection to these increasingly vulnerable items. The changes represent a significant shift in the shopping experience, driven by a troubling trend.
