AI for pharmacy security: beyond traditional video surveillance

Pharmacies face unique security challenges: they handle high-value products, often small in size, while managing a highly variable flow of customers. It is crucial to maintain a welcoming environment that is also non-intrusive, which makes security more complicated. The figures confirm it: according to the National Retail Federation (NRF), shoplifting incidents in retail increased by 93% between 2019 and 2023. Faced with this, traditional video surveillance systems are showing their limits. They merely record events passively, offering only an after-the-fact response capability, once the loss has already been noted.

This is where intelligent video analytics comes in, a necessary evolution that turns passive security into a true proactive operational asset. Far from being an out-of-reach futuristic technology, artificial intelligence (AI) is now a concrete and powerful tool. It is designed to effectively protect your assets, your staff and your customers, acting as a vigilant and intelligent sentinel that analyses situations in real time.

Proactive detection of at-risk gestures to reduce shrinkage

Imagine a technology that does not just see, but understands what it sees. That is the principle behind AI video analytics solutions. The system integrates directly with your existing cameras and continuously analyses video streams to identify specific gestures, previously defined as at-risk. With constant precision and vigilance, artificial intelligence can recognise subtle gestures often associated with shoplifting, acting like an additional team member entirely dedicated to security.

Among the possible detections, which notably cover the product categories most exposed in pharmacies, are:

  • The quick concealment of items in a bag, a pocket or under clothing.
  • Consuming products directly in the aisles.
  • Opening packaging to take only the contents.
  • Using a trolley or a stroller to hide the removal of items.

The benefit is immediate: your staff receives a precise alert and can step in quickly and discreetly, preventing the loss before it even happens.

Real-time alerts and optimisation of pharmacy operations

One of the major advantages of AI is its ability to operate continuously, without ever experiencing fatigue or distraction. It thus ensures continuous protection of your pharmacy, including during peak periods or outside opening hours. When an at-risk gesture is detected, innovative solutions such as Oxania send an alert in under 10 seconds, to a mobile, tablet or computer. Thanks to an automatic progressive zoom with a point of interest, staff can directly see the essentials of the scene without having to go through the entire video stream. These precise notifications allow your team to react appropriately, without having to review hours of footage.

This efficiency frees up valuable time for your staff. Instead of passively staring at screens, your teams can focus fully on their higher value-added tasks: welcoming customers, advising them and selling. What is more, integration is extremely simple. The solution is designed to be added easily to your existing camera fleet, which minimises installation costs and technical complexity.

AI and privacy: an ethical approach in pharmacies

It is essential to stress this: artificial intelligence is a decision-support tool, not a substitute for human judgement. The system alerts you to a potentially at-risk situation, but it is always a qualified member of your staff who analyses the context, validates the relevance of the alert and decides what action to take. This human-machine collaboration ensures a measured and appropriate response to every situation, a principle at the heart of the OECD recommendations on artificial intelligence.

Privacy protection is also at the heart of this technology. Images are analysed locally, on a dedicated GPU installed in the pharmacy: your cameras' video stream stays on site. Only a small numerical vector is sent to the cloud to confirm a detection, and video clips linked to an alert are stored on servers located as close as possible to your country. Finally, the system offers great flexibility, allowing pharmacists to easily adjust the detection type settings to fit the layout of their store perfectly.

Turn security data into business intelligence

The power of intelligent video analytics does not stop at security. It turns your existing cameras into a source of valuable data to steer your business and improve your profitability. Backed by founders with more than 10 years of AI R&D, a complete solution like Oxania turns a cost centre into a true performance driver. Thanks to people counting, you get reliable footfall statistics, allowing you to analyse peak hours, measure the real impact of your promotional campaigns and optimise staff schedules.

In parallel, heatmaps give you a clear view of customer journeys. You can instantly identify the "hot" and "cold" zones of your pharmacy, crucial information for rethinking the layout of your aisles, optimising the merchandising of your flagship products and improving traffic flow for a better customer experience. As the ECR Retail Loss Group points out, combining security data and business intelligence is a major lever for store performance. This strategic investment equips you with powerful tools to make informed decisions based on concrete data.