So now the wine at Co-op is under lock and key

[Eastie77Returns]

Popped in to buy a small bottle of wine and all the alcohol in my local Co-op is locked in a cabinet with a button that you have to press in order to alert staff that you wish to purchase something from it.

Many shelves in the local Boots store are now bare with a sample empty product box and a sign stating you need to go to the counter and ask for the item you’d like to buy. This includes toothpaste, razors and basic everyday items.

This is in a fairly affluent area. Things just seem to be getting worse everywhere.

They tried that at my local Morrisons in Cornwall. It lasted a couple of weeks. The cabinets are now permanently unlocked. Probably didn't have the staff to run and unlock them 🤣.

Not in my local Co op, they have a big stand at the front of the store with different bottles along with a whole isle of different alcohols. Just open the fridge and get what you want or take it off the shelf. Same with my local boots, everything is on display as usual, no security tags except for the £200 face lotions and Dyson hair appliances.

Perhaps rethink that you’re in an affluent area.

I noticed this in co-op as well!

Oh well maybe it won’t last long here as well then as it took ages for a member of staff to turn up with the key!

Well I’m not in Kensington and Chelsea or anything but average house price here is apparently £865k which I thought qualified as affluent. However we clearly have a lot of shoplifters lurking around so I stand corrected!

My local Waitrose is like this, and Tesco for razors etc has been for ages. I live on n an affluent area but we are borderline so I guess that’s why

Our Co-op (or anywhere else nearby) doesn't have this. You generally have to shout down the aisle to find someone to serve you at the till so it would be a nightmare to be unlocking the wine every time someone wants some. I've also not seen what you're describing in Boots, all products on shelves in the big one I was in recently.

Yes, this is how it is my corner of London.

Taking reasonable steps given the police seem not to want to know, in my opinion.

If you live in London and voted for Boris Johnson as Mayor you started the rot, as he was the first to cut police numbers. Or if you voted for Brian Paddick when he was Lib Dem candidate, you condone some crime as he did when his local Borough police commander.

We really need to crack down on shoplifting. It should be treated as a serious crime with a mandatory jail sentence for repeat offenders.

Shoplifting is absolutely rife at the minute. A combination of soaring food prices and little to no consequences for perpetrators.

Clearly the new mayor isn't capable of increasing them.

In my area they just keep the booze stand at the front near where the staff are.

But I don't live in London, which in my opinion is a mess.

You'd probably have to double the prison population then.

Would mean someone from the business attending court.
In a co op the other week. 10 self scan and no one overseeing them or behind the counter. I could have filled baskets with everything and just walked out. Staff were busy restocking the chiller cabinets.
If stuff is locked away your store is being targeted by either travelling villains or that naice couple at #30 (must be worth £900k).

Our Tesco has this for spirits.
You press a buzzer and the door is opened automatically- nobody comes with a key.