Shoplifting is a growing concern for supermarkets, impacting profit margins, store operations, and employee safety. Theft contributes to retail shrinkage and, in extreme cases, can lead to stock shortages, tighter security measures, and even store closures.

For supermarket owners, theft isn’t just a financial burden — it disrupts daily operations and can also jeopardize the safety of employees and customers. However, with proactive loss prevention strategies in place, businesses can deter shoplifters and protect profits. 

From staff training to smart technology, here’s how supermarkets can strengthen security, reduce theft, and protect their bottom lines.

Why shoplifting is a growing problem for supermarkets

Supermarkets are prime targets for shoplifting. With high inventory levels (of both low- and high-value items), self-service options, and constant foot traffic, thieves can exploit store layouts and security gaps to steal without being detected.

Recent data highlights just how serious the issue has become. According to the Council on Criminal Justice, shoplifting incidents rose by 14.1% from the end of 2022 to mid-2023. Meanwhile, a LendingTree survey found that nearly a quarter of U.S. consumers have shoplifted at some point — and 46% claim that grocery stores are the easiest to steal from.

Beyond individual offenders, supermarkets also face losses from organized retail crime (ORC) groups and employee theft — whether through unauthorized discounts, cash theft, or direct collaboration with shoplifters. 

ORC groups often use distraction techniques or even coordinate with employees to steal high-value products. Over time, these incidents add up, disrupting inventory management and leading to significant financial strain. 

Some of the biggest impacts of shoplifting include:

• Lower profit margins: The National Retail Federation (NRF) reported a 90% increase in dollar loss resulting from shoplifting in 2023 compared to 2019. These losses sometimes force stores to raise prices to break even or meet their profit goals. 
• Employee and customer safety concerns: Confrontations between staff and individual shoplifters or ORC groups can turn violent, putting both employees and shoppers in danger.
• Poor customer experiences: Retail shrinkage from shoplifting can lead to sudden stock shortages, frustrating customers who expect key products to be available. To combat theft, some business owners resort to locking up high-theft items, which can slow down shopping and inconvenience customers in a hurry. 
• Store closures: Ongoing losses make it challenging for supermarkets to stay profitable, eventually leading to store closures. This risk affects both small grocers and large retailers. In 2023, Target announced its plan to close nine stores across San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, and New York, citing a rise in shoplifting and safety concerns. 

5 strategies to prevent shoplifting in supermarkets

Effective shoplifting prevention requires a combination of staff training, smart store design, and security technology. Here are some practical ways to protect your assets and employees from theft:

1. Train employees to identify and respond to suspicious behavior

Employees are a grocery store’s first line of defense against shoplifting. Proper training helps them recognize common theft tactics and respond appropriately. Key warning signs include:

• Quick concealment: Shoplifters often hide items in clothing, purses, or shopping bags.
• Group distractions: ORC offenders may work together — some members distract employees with excessive questions or even rowdy behavior while others steal.
• Constant glancing: Repeated looks at staff, cameras, or security mirrors is a frequent sign of criminal behavior.
• Nervous behavior: While nervousness alone isn’t proof of shoplifting, it can be a red flag when combined with other unusual activity. 

Encourage employees to observe and document suspicious behavior from potential shoplifters before taking action. When necessary, they should alert security personnel or law enforcement rather than confronting a suspected shoplifter. A calm, non-confrontational approach helps minimize disruptions or safety risks. 

Establishing loss prevention teams and encouraging collaboration with store associates can also strengthen your efforts. And regular refresher training is essential to keep employees informed about emerging shoplifting tactics, including:

• Price switching: Swapping price tags to pay less at checkout
• Self-checkout fraud: Intentionally skipping scans at self-checkout kiosks or using the “banana trick” (scanning an expensive item as a cheaper one) 
• Fraudulent returns: Returning stolen goods or counterfeit products for a refund

With proper training and a collaborative approach, employees can deter shoplifters before they act, while still maintaining a positive shopping experience for legitimate customers. 

2. Design the store layout to discourage theft

A well-planned store layout increases visibility, making it harder for shoplifters to steal unnoticed. Employees should have clear sightlines across all aisles, allowing them to monitor activity from their stations. 

To optimize your store’s design for theft prevention, consider these strategies:

• Ensure strategic product placement by keeping valuable and frequently stolen items on upper shelves or near cashier stations and point-of-sale (POS) systems for better visibility. 
• Use security mirrors in low-visibility areas to expand sightlines and deter theft. 
• Avoid tall displays that limit employees' views of sales floors. 
• Install bright, consistent lighting throughout the store to improve visibility and discourage shoplifters. 
• Display clear anti-theft signage, such as "Shoplifters Will Be Apprehended" or "Area Under 24/7 Live Video."
• Keep aisles and displays organized to prevent overcrowding, which can create hiding spots for shoplifters. 

3. Strengthen security at self-checkouts and high-theft zones

While self-checkout kiosks improve convenience, they also create opportunities for theft due to minimal supervision. Some shoppers avoid scanning items or even use tactics like the "banana trick" to evade detection. 

To prevent theft at self-checkouts:

• Position employees near kiosks to monitor transactions and assist customers.
• Install security cameras above checkout stations for better oversight. 
• Conduct random receipt checks to verify purchases.
• Use AI-assisted theft detection tools that flag barcode tampering or item concealment. 

Also, implement restricted access measures for high-theft and high-value items, such as staff-assisted purchases, locked display cases, or electronic article surveillance (EAS) security tags. EAS tags trigger an alarm if not properly removed or deactivated by authorized personnel.

4. Use technology to deter and track theft

AI-powered monitoring tools and cloud-based security technologies help retailers detect and respond to theft in real time. License plate recognition (LPR) technology plays a key role in capturing vehicle license plates and other identifying details, allowing seamless tracking of suspicious activity. 

LPRs can help law enforcement apprehend repeat offenders and organized retail crime suspects by sending alerts when flagged vehicles arrive at your premises, enabling faster response times. They also provide actionable data that strengthens investigations and supports case clearance efforts. 

Want to strengthen your security measures? Use Flock Safety's license plate readers to help deter theft and support law enforcement investigations.

5. Improve collaboration with law enforcement

Strong partnerships with law enforcement can speed up theft investigations and improve deterrence efforts. When shoplifters are successfully identified and apprehended, it makes the affected stores less attractive targets and reduces the risk of repeat offenses. 

To strengthen collaboration with local law enforcement, supermarkets should share key evidence, including:

• Security images and video footage to identify suspects
• Vehicle details captured through LPR technology
• Detailed incident reports to help law enforcement build stronger cases

Flock Safety's security tools provide real-time alerts and vehicle tracking to assist with investigations. With FlockOS, retailers can unify security data with law enforcement, making coordination faster and more effective. 

Enhance your theft deterrence efforts: Explore FlockOS for real-time intelligence integration and extensive collaboration capabilities.

How Flock Safety helps deter theft in supermarkets

Flock Safety can be a valuable tool in external threat detection and proactive theft deterrence, giving supermarkets an added layer of security beyond traditional in-store measures.

Extend security beyond store entry

Flock Safety helps supermarkets extend threat awareness beyond store entry by monitoring parking lots and tracking suspicious vehicles, capturing key details like license plate numbers. When reported to law enforcement, this data assists in identifying offenders and building strong cases, potentially leading to arrests and deterring repeat offenses. 

Flock Safety's LPR technology also acts as a deterrent against organized theft rings, since supermarkets with real-time monitoring are less attractive to targets. By extending security beyond store entry, businesses can enhance inventory protection and improve employee and customer safety. 

Take a proactive approach to threat detection. Browse our retail security solutions to deter shoplifting and ORC today. 

Real-time intelligence for theft deterrence

Flock Safety enhances theft protection in grocery stores by providing real-time monitoring and alerts, going beyond traditional CCTVs that often only record incidents.

With AI-powered threat detection, Flock Safety’s Hot List feature sends immediate alerts to law enforcement when wanted vehicles pass by a Flock Safety camera. This enables faster response times and helps officers take action before crime occurs.

Additionally, law enforcement can use Flock Safety’s data to track theft trends by monitoring vehicle movements and identifying patterns among known offenders. This intelligence helps them optimize patrol coverage and resource allocation in high-risk areas, reducing the likelihood of future theft.

By combining real-time intelligence with proactive law enforcement collaboration, supermarkets can create a safe shopping environment and avoid recurring offenses.

Seamless law enforcement coordination

With Flock Safety, supermarkets can share vehicle data directly with law enforcement, enabling faster case resolutions and reducing the chances of repeat incidents.

Businesses can also create custom Hot Lists to flag vehicles associated with known shoplifters. When Flock Safety’s LPR cameras detect a listed vehicle, an alert is sent to law enforcement, allowing for quick response and stronger investigative support.

Reduce theft and secure your supermarket with proactive solutions

Shoplifting affects profit margins, store operations, and employee safety. If left unchecked, persistent theft can force grocers to tighten security measures, limit product availability, or even shut down locations. 

Fortunately, supermarkets can reduce their risk by implementing retail theft prevention strategies, such as training employees, securing high-theft areas, optimizing store layouts, collaborating with law enforcement, and leveraging technology. 

Flock Safety helps supermarkets address external threats by tracking unusual activity beyond store entry and sending real-time alerts to security guards. Our solutions also support violent crime investigations by capturing vehicle data, sharing it with law enforcement, and monitoring wanted vehicles across locations with license plate recognition technology. 

Book a demo today to see how Flock Safety can help you respond to threats and support theft investigations at your supermarket.