The other day, this writer went to Walmart for a new electric toothbrush. Not only were the electric toothbrushes behind lock and key, requiring an employee, but the store policy was to carry the toothbrush to a specific register, where this writer had to go to retrieve it.
On the upside, she wasn't the woman who needed the pregnancy test perp-walked to the register. But it was insulting and maddening.
It's not necessarily Walmart's fault. They have to mitigate shoplifting losses. But Walmart has clout and pull with the soft-on-crime politicians who created a society where shoplifting isn't prosecuted so normal people have to suffer.
But this writer also won't buy any item under lock and key at a store (major electronics aside). She'll go elsewhere or order it online.
The same issue is hitting Walgreens, and it's damaging sales:
Walgreens CEO says anti-shoplifting strategy backfired: ‘When you lock things up…you don’t sell as many of them’ https://t.co/W7WQGOfNXo
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) January 15, 2025
The company plans to close approximately 450 additional stores in 2025, noting that the stores that remain open outperform the ones designated for closure by approximately 250 basis points. Wentworth also acknowledged the ongoing struggle with shrink as a “hand-to-hand combat battle.” After reporting a 52% increase in shrink, or lost inventory, in 2020 and 2021, Walgreens invested in increased security that proved to be “largely ineffective.” And while many drug stores have taken to locking up commonly looted goods, Wentworth admitted, “When you lock things up…you don’t sell as many of them. We’ve kind of proven that pretty conclusively.”
He hinted at “creative” solutions in development to tackle the shrink problem and improve in-store experiences—hopefully with a decrease in those pesky locks.
Walgreens’ “footprint optimization program,” coupled with successful contract negotiations with payers for calendar 2025, aims to better align reimbursement with costs and carve out high-cost drugs like GLP-1s. However, retail sales remain a pain point, with comparable sales declining 4.6% in Q1, attributed to a weaker cold and flu season and persistent pressure on consumer discretionary spending.
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The only solution that's needed is not creative: LOCK UP CRIMINALS.
When you don't lock it up, they get stolen. So what's the solution?
— 37th Chamber (@37thChambers) January 15, 2025
Lock up the criminals who steal.
Probably would have made better sense to actually prosecute shoplifters, especially repeat offenders and/or those working with fencing operations.
— Aaron Astor (@AstorAaron) January 15, 2025
Probably.
i stopped shopping in walgreens, cvs, and target in nyc because purchasing every single item required that i press a button and wait 10 min for the worker to unlock the case and then redo the same thing until i had everything i needed
— luca (@LucaGuadagnegro) January 15, 2025
It's burdensome.
But that's the Left -- they'd rather we suffer than make life inconvenient for criminals.
Who woulda thought that making things more difficult to access while having 1 employee working would result in less people buying your products
— Everything Lions (@QuinnTriciaSuck) January 15, 2025
EVERYONE.
The local crackhead could have told him that for free.
— Danny (@danzu72) January 15, 2025
This made us chuckle.
That's because you're supposed to lock up the criminals, not your products. https://t.co/cfyC4qTCH0
— Michael Seifert (@realmichaelseif) January 15, 2025
It's really not that difficult a concept.
The solution is to lock *criminals* up https://t.co/QBpyjZcKZK
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) January 15, 2025
See? Everyone gets it.
Not worth the hassle. Easier to get on Amazon for most normies. https://t.co/CMs6kZpAel
— Maxwell Paddock (@MaxwellPaddock1) January 15, 2025
Amazon comes right to our doors.
Walgreens tried to turn a South Loop location into an "anti-theft" store by moving all but two aisles behind the counter.
— Mack Liederman (@mack_liederman) January 15, 2025
Five city Walgreens are set to close by the end of next month.https://t.co/KY3yW7mWAf https://t.co/YmZ7RvyhML
Just incredible.
There’s no replacing social trust. https://t.co/6t1LX8XWgd
— Tim Carney (@TPCarney) January 15, 2025
Nope.
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