Thwart Shoplifters With Theft Deterrent In-Store Merchandising

Retailers in North America lost $45.3B to shoplifting in 2011 as reported in The Global Retail Theft Barometer 2011 (GRTB). This activity represents an increase of 6% over 2010 and should be a call to action to employ comprehensive tactics in loss prevention. This paper focuses on the role that in-store merchandising can play in this fight to protect retail assets.

What we know about shoplifting is that it happens in many different types of stores, is often not premeditated and very rarely caught.

Consider the following:

• Shoplifters steal from all types of stores including department stores, specialty shops, supermarkets, drug stores, discounters, music stores, convenience stores and thrift shops
• Shoplifting is often not a premeditated crime. 73 percent of adult and 72 percent of juvenile shoplifters don’t plan to steal in advance
• Shoplifters say they are caught an average of only once in every 48 times they steal. They are turned over to the police 50 percent of the time