According to a 2011 study on underage drinking conducted by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, shoplifting has become an increasingly popular method used by minors to illegally obtain alcohol. Underage drinking has an effect on the community as whole, and it’s the duty of schools and parents to reduce opportunities for unsupervised parties and home access to alcohol. But what responsibilities are left to retailers?
Legally, in most jurisdictions expectations of retailers extend to asking for identification and training their employees on spotting fakes and counterfeits. Socially, however, shouldn’t we be making it harder for the youths in our communities to illegally consume alcohol?
Based on the findings of this study, a national campaign called We Don’t Serve Teens is being promoted and sponsored by the Federal Trade Commission. This campaign stresses the role retailers’ can play in reducing underage alcohol access and consumption. The commission recommends that retailers not only take steps to decrease overall theft in their establishment, but especially theft by minors. One of their suggestions was for stores to have a more open floor plan to make it easier for store personnel to monitor their alcohol stock.
The commission also recommended retailers to increase their liquor bottle security and significantly reduce not only underage alcohol theft but all liquor shoplifting, by investing in bottle locks; anti-theft devices that are secured over the cap of the bottle and removed after the item is sold. Not only do these devices serve as visual deterrents, they physically prevent someone from accessing the bottle’s contents while secured on the product. Not only do they help retailers with their problems of bottle security, but they help make them more socially responsible and responsive to the needs of their community by preventing underage alcohol theft.
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase EASy Bottle bottle locks by Alpha Security and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system.
For more information on Alpha Security, Bottle Lock, Bottle locks, Bottle Security, EASy Bottle or Liquor Bottle Security and how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
