Understanding Shrinkage to Better Protect Your Margin 🛒
Shrinkage , and more specifically shoplifting, is a daily and costly challenge for everyone in the retail sector, from grocery supermarkets and pharmacies to hardware stores. This silent phenomenon doesn't just skew your inventories; it directly erodes your profit margins and impacts the overall profitability of your stores. To effectively counter this threat, the essential first step is to precisely identify the products most frequently targeted by thieves.
Understanding these priority targets allows you to deploy an effective and tailored prevention strategy . This article aims to present the top 10 most stolen items, providing you with the knowledge needed to better secure your assets, protect your profits, and optimise in-store security management.
High-Value Goods: The Prime Target for Organised Theft 💎
The most stolen products share characteristics that make them particularly attractive for organised theft : they are generally small, have a high market value, and are easy to resell on parallel markets. This combination makes them prime targets for organised networks looking to maximise their profits. It is therefore essential to pay close attention to these items to deter attempts.
Among the most coveted products, we unsurprisingly find three main categories:
- Premium alcohol and spirits : Their high value and convenient size make them easy to conceal, making them a lucrative and consistent target.
- Designer perfumes and cosmetics : Small, expensive, and in high demand, they are easily slipped into a bag and their resale value is guaranteed.
- Razor blades and their refills : A classic item for in-store theft due to their high cost and constant demand.
Everyday Consumer Goods: Theft of Opportunity and Necessity 🧀
Beyond luxury items, many everyday products are also highly sought after by thieves. Theft here is often motivated by necessity or simple opportunity, what is known as opportunistic theft . Although the individual value of these items is lower, their repeated theft in large volumes ultimately represents a considerable loss for retailers. It is crucial not to underestimate the cumulative impact of these thefts on your inventory and turnover.
This category includes some surprising products, but their theft has a logical explanation:
- Cheese and fresh meat : Representing a costly part of the average shopping basket, they are stolen both for personal consumption and for local resale.
- Powdered baby formula : An essential and expensive product, its theft is often linked to financial hardship and high demand.
- Over-the-counter medications : Painkillers, for example, are easy to hide and meet an immediate need.
Electronics and Tools: High-Surveillance Categories ⚡
The aisles for DIY and consumer electronics are far from being spared. They indeed contain items of high value , which are not only useful for everyday life but also very easy to sell on the second-hand market . Surveillance in these areas must therefore be strengthened to prevent losses. To complete our list of the most vulnerable items, here are the final products to watch very closely, whose compact size and high demand make them easy prey for thieves, whether they act on impulse or in an organised manner. The cumulative loss from these items can significantly affect an aisle's profitability.
- Batteries : Essential and small, they often disappear from the shelves unnoticed.
- Power tools : Drills, screwdrivers, and other tools are highly sought-after and targeted by specialised thieves.
- Phone accessories : Chargers, cables, and earphones are perfect targets due to their small size and cost.
- Energy drinks : Often stolen on impulse, their recurring disappearance represents a significant loss of revenue.
From Knowledge to Action: Proactive Strategies to Reduce Theft ✅
Knowing this list is a first step, but turning it into a concrete strategy is what will make a difference to your turnover. A proactive, multi-level approach is the key to securing your stores for the long term. Consider reorganising your aisle layouts to place vulnerable items in high-visibility areas. Use traditional security solutions like electronic tags or security cases. However, to go a step further, innovative video analytics solutions based on AI can detect suspicious gestures in real time, thereby offering discreet yet effective protection.
Training your teams remains your best defence . Attentive staff, trained to spot unusual behaviour and to offer excellent customer service, has a powerful deterrent effect. By combining these measures, you are not just protecting your profits: you are creating a safer and more pleasant environment for your staff as well as your loyal customers.
