A D.C. grocery store is removing Tide, Colgate and Advil to deter theft

Washington Post via MSN ^ | September 2, 2023 | Jaclyn Peiser

[grundle]

In the coming weeks, a Giant Food market in D.C. will clear its beauty and health aisles of all national labels. No more Tide, Colgate or Advil, only store brands. Shoppers also will have to present their receipts to an employee before exiting the store.

It’s the regional supermarket chain’s most overt gambit against the rampant theft that’s plaguing retailers of all sizes. It’s also a potential last-ditch effort to avoid shutting down the unprofitable store on Alabama Avenue — the only major grocer east of the Anacostia River in Ward 8.

“We want to continue to be able to serve the community, but we can’t do so at the level of significant loss or risk to our associates that we have today,” said Giant president Ira Kress.

Shoplifting, organized crime and violence have become significant concerns for regional and national retailers. Home Depot, Target, Lowe’s, Dollar Tree, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Ulta are among those that flagged shrink — the depletion of inventory caused by something other than sales — during their second-quarter earnings calls. Growing losses have spurred giants like Walmart to shutter locations.

“Our team continues to face an unacceptable amount of retail theft and organized retail crime,” Target chief executive Brian Cornell told investors last month. “During the first five months of this year, our stores saw a 120 percent increase in theft incidents involving violence or threats of violence.”

[Dilbert San Diego]

So what do you do with the approx. 700 thousand people who live there? Make them move so the 69 square miles of that district are empty?

[USS Alaska]

Shoplifting, organized crime and violence have become significant concerns for regional and national retailers. Home Depot, Target, Lowe’s, Dollar Tree, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Ulta are among those that flagged shrink — the depletion of inventory caused by something other than sales — during their second-quarter earnings calls. Growing losses have spurred giants like Walmart to shutter locations.

They even call it 'shrink' instead of theft.

Box store execs are scared spitless to name the disease and associate it with location and local residents.

A thief, using a cart, left a local Walmart without paying and two citizens, grabbed him, took an electric cord that was just stolen, and tied the thief to his cart and called the police.

I don't know the final outcome, but I do know that our local DA will pursue charges and there will either be a trial or a guilty plea.

[deport]

The process has changed over the last century to where it is
the shoppers that are doing their own selecting, loading their
carts, pumping their gasoline, scanning the items, pay with a
credit/debit card and out the door and on their way. Not too
long ago that was done by employees as directed by shoppers
as to what they wanted.

[TheDon]

It’s a challenge to fix a problem when you’re forbidden to name the cause.

[7.62mm]

Costco is also anti-gun. Has a company policy prohibiting guns on their premises.

They recently threw me out of the local warehouse when my OWB, covered, pistol printed on my shirt. No signs on outside of store, either.

I had been shopping there since 2016 without knowing of their policy. Yes, I spoke to the store manager, wrote a letter to the COSTCO CEO and canceled my membership.

You can find their policy here: https://customerservice.costco.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/709/~/are-guns-%26-personal-firearms-allowed-in-costco-warehouses%3F

Moved to Sam’s club. It is my understanding that their, and Walmart’s, policies are no open carry and allow concealed carry. Go here: https://www.concealedcarry.com/national/walmart-turns-boldy-anti-gun-stops-sale-of-ammo/

[sauropod]

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