Having to "buzz for booze"

[Elendel]

I understand why supermarkets do this, I really do. Theft, especially en masse, is a huge problem, and alcohol is among the most commonly stolen items. The locked shelves even look neat and smart.

However, I find the system hugely off-putting.

I feel like I'm being treated like a naughty child when I have to press the button and wait for a member of staff to get me a bottle of spirits (I like a good cocktail on a weekend).

I cannot go and read the bottle labels and explore new brands and flavours as I need to point at what I want and it is gotten within the shortest time possible before the doors are locked again.

The waiting around is inconvenient. I hate food shopping and try to do it in as little time as possible. I had to wait around a few minutes and felt compelled to make small talk with the elderly gentleman who was also waiting. I hate small talk at the best of times.

The waiting around is embarrassing. It wouldn't be too bad if I could press the button and the thing silently sent a message to a nearby member of staff. Instead, a loud, automatic voice keeps reminding me that they have alerted a member of staff to assist me. Again, for several minutes. I work in a school and prefer to buy my booze discreetly rather than announcing it to the whole shop, which may well contain some of my charges who'd just love to text their mates that Miss is buying raspberry-flavoured vodka.

It inconveniences staff. My local store has massively reduced its workforce since the introduction of self-service tills to the point that only one member of staff (who also has to hand out bags as they get taken, too) who runs around like a headless chicken between 20 tills the entire time. Shelves are barely restocked in busy times as it is and now it's ANOTHER thing on the list of staff to do.

I am a gentle person with a fair bit of patience. Many people around me really are not. So I assume that staff will now face even more abuse due to the inconvenience and waiting times.

I am honestly waiting to see what happens in the long run. Will the gain from less theft make up for the loss in custom? Will it make up for the maintenance and inevitable damage that will occur with these lockboxes? Will other stores have to follow suit as they will now have an increased share of shoplifters because it is far more convenient? Will meat, cheese and other high-value foods be next?

Yes, my liver will probably be grateful because I will drink far less, and my wallet will be happier because on the occasions I do, I will likely switch to wine. But for god's sake, are all the little pleasures in life slowly being taken away from us law-abiding folk because a few arseholes are spoiling it all for everyone else.

When I lived in Chicago, very nice neighbourhood if I may add, the wine and beer at CVS/Walgreens was all on open shelves where anyone could grab it but the deodorant was under lock and key and required the aforementioned buzzer. DEODORANT FFS.

Never seen it here in the UK. Have seen security tags on spirits, those are fine as easy to remove at the checkout. Buzzer just drives me to buy online tbh.

As I said, I see this as the potential thin end of the wedge. Once we've got all the alcohol locked away, will it be meats and cheeses next? Formula milk? Perhaps we are heading towards a world in which in-person shopping is soon becoming a thing of the past and it will be click and collect only, for safety reasons.

Might be - seen on-line videos in places like NY where shops like Target do this for large ranges due to massive shop lifting.

I don't think it automatically happen here - not least as many shoppers will go on-line often to shops like amazon or to other shops so they'd lose sales.

Not seen it at all but yes, that would be very annoying - is it for all alcohol or just spirits? There'd be insane queues if they tried it at my local Tesco when it's 25% off 6 bottles of wine! The local big Waitrose has a separate alcohol bit with dim lighting and an attendant, though I suspect that's not because of theft. And you don't pay in there. My local Boots confused me by hiding Hycosan eyedrops behind the counter when all the cheaper makes were on display, they said that was because of theft. Maybe which items need locking up says something about the area!

I’m in a US city that’s been in the national news for shoplifting problems. In some Supermarkets you have to walk through one way gates to get in. Alcohol, dishwasher and laundry supplies, toothpaste and shampoo and a bunch of other items are all behind locked doors. And they don’t have enough staff on hand so it takes for ever if you do want something that’s locked away. Which means I avoid those shops and go online even more.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12735367/Target-lock-underwear-pair-thieves-shoplifting.html

Underwear -frozen goods to toothpaste - all seems really random items.

This is exactly how it used to be in Wm Lows when I was a kid.

I was always fascinated by it as other than the bit you got served at there was metal cage-looking fencing from the counter to ceiling to stop thefts.

In one of the supermarkets near here expensive cheeses are in the net bags with security tags, same with baby formula.

Big joints of meat have tags on them.

@Elendel just start using a different supermarket.
(The time it took you to post this thread you could have applied for a different shops loyalty card)

Yes it's annoying but you obviously don't want to change to one of the alternatives suggested so you will have to put up with it.

It would piss me off and I would take my money elsewhere. Then it couldn't piss me off any more and maybe the shop might have to have a rethink about the system if they lose lots of customers. eg. put security tags on the bottles which can be removed at the checkout.

It's not. As it's only 5% of their alcohol stock. The most expensive spirits and champagnes. Beers, wines and all cheaper drinks are freely available.

I work in a school and prefer to buy my booze discreetly rather than announcing it to the whole shop, which may well contain some of my charges who'd just love to text their mates that Miss is buying raspberry-flavoured vodka. that's you being ridiculous here.

Would you be able to order from amazon? They deliver booze.

I'd shop somewhere else. Never come across this anywhere I shop regularly.

@Thfrog You'd be surprised at the gossip we get exposed to 😂

@iwfja I have already stated what I will do instead. My need for alcohol isn't that great that I cannot do without, or I just buy wine if I really do fancy a glass (the wine is currently not behind locked doors).

But it pisses me off no end that more and more things I used to enjoy are being heavily restricted because of a few people who choose not to abide by common decency laws.

And as already shown above, if we're heading the Target way, then soon most of our shopping will be behind bars. Then the last few small shops will fold and we will all be forced to accept whatever low standards of quality and delivery are available online.

So what some kids see you buying booze who cares?

Yes I could, but it's now, I think, £60 for free delivery - that's a hell of a lot of money to pay upfront (and inflated in price, of course) when I'd rather have my £15 bottle of reasonably cheap but cheerful booze I used to be able to buy without issues with my weekly food shop. Not to mention having to get a slot and then having to wait in. It's still inconvenient.

I've never come across this but then again I live in the Highlands so I dare say there's isn't as much of a shoplifting problem here. It would really irritate me though. When I used to shop in Morrisons before I moved here it was hard enough to get someone to slice a loaf of bread for me, there were never enough staff around, nobody on the fish counter etc. How are they going to staff this? The alcohol aisle is usually fairly busy, they'd need someone on it full time more or less.

No it isn't - that happens at the point of sale. The offence would be selling alcohol to an under 18, not said minor walking round a shop holding it.

None of the supermarkets around me have this.... can't you go to a different shop? Or buy online?
I don't think it's embarrassing though really. Not like you're buying 2L of value vodka! (Which I did once for making Christmas limoncello gifts...felt a bit judged!)

been there done that!! I make fruit liqueurs, also got a chestnut one macerating now.

Nothing wrong with that. I don't think it's anywhere near as embarrassing as you think

What? There's no minimum order at Amazon and you don't have to "get a slot" - you just order what you want and they deliver it. End of.

Paracetamol/ calpol etc here as well, and steak.

I agree about missing the browsing and selecting experience. I do not prefer to shop on line for anything. Maybe it’s my age. I like to handle items and contemplate my purchase. Tjmaxx has many things locked in a box locked in a cabinet. Call and wait for employee who barely let me look at it let alone hold it. Had to go right up to checkout. While checking out I happened to catch the side of the box…same color shape size but the “for homme” . Had I handled it I would I have known this. I too feel shopping is soon not to be shopping but mainly ordering

Lady did the swipe her card in Aldi to authorise a bottle of wine and I had to have the security tags taken off the vodka today, but I don’t know what this buzz thing is?