With losses from theft heavily impacting store profitability, it's become vital to put in place security solutions that are both preventive, smart and predictive . For a long time, security gates were the main line of defence against unauthorised merchandise leaving the premises. But today, artificial intelligence brings a new dimension to loss prevention.
🚪 Security gates: a reactive but limited protection
Security gates play an important role: they detect items that haven't been deactivated or have been stolen at the point of exit . They're visible, easy for customers to understand, and act as an effective deterrent. However, their effectiveness depends on tags or security devices being correctly fitted, and they only act at the end of the process , once the theft has already taken place.
In other words, gates are useful but only come in as a last resort. They don't detect suspicious behaviour early on or prevent losses inside the store.
AI: a proactive outlook on security
Artificial intelligence, and in particular video-assisted suspicious gesture detection , enables a radically different approach. Thanks to real-time analysis algorithms, AI can spot unusual or suspicious behaviours (such as hiding actions, strange patterns of movement or abnormal interactions with products) well before the customer gets to the exit.
This type of technology, such as that provided by Oxania , offers several advantages:
- ✅ Proactive prevention : incidents can be detected before they actually occur.
- 🎯 Fewer unnecessary interventions : AI reduces false alarms by focusing on meaningful gestures.
- 👥 Customer experience preserved : no feeling of intrusion, because the technology is discreet and non-invasive.
- 📊 Advanced analytics : the data collected allows for continuous optimisation of systems.
🔗 Smart complementarity for 360° protection
Rather than choosing between gates and AI, retailers have every reason to combine both solutions . AI acts as a radar for suspicious gestures within the store, able to spot abnormal situations in real time, while the gates provide a final line of defence at the exit.
Together, they form a comprehensive and coherent strategy:
- 🛒 In a supermarket, AI can spot suspicious behaviour in the aisles, while the gate validates the exit.
- 🧴 In a pharmacy, AI watches over sensitive areas (cosmetics, medications), where the gates can’t act.
- 🔧 In a hardware store, AI follows movements in high-value aisles, while the gates screen items equipped with RFID tags.
🚀 Conclusion: for modern security, let’s bet on intelligence
Gates have proven themselves, but the future of in-store security lies in a smart, anticipatory and complementary approach . By integrating AI, retailers can significantly reduce losses , while also offering a smooth and respectful customer experience .
Oxania supports retailers in this shift towards enhanced security, combining the power of artificial intelligence with existing systems. A modern, balanced and effective vision to meet tomorrow’s challenges.
