Using Anti-Shoplifting Devices On Laundry Detergent

Laundry detergent. Pretty much every person in the country purchases this at least once per month. Think about all the times in the past that you personally have purchased a gallon of liquid detergent. Five years ago, you more than likely had it on your list of things to buy, ran to the store, threw it in the basket and went about your trip without ever giving it a second thought. Now, walk into any mass retailer and I can almost guarantee that you will see some type of anti-shoplifting device attached to the bottle. Why?

 Organized retail theft effects every retailer, big or small. These criminals target the small business just as much as they do the big box retailer. The only difference being the mass merchant can probably absorb more shrink than that family business around the corner. These thieves, who target stores with surgical precision do so for a living. From the time they wake up until the time they go to sleep, their entire day is spent organizing their route, planning their hits and stealing. Laundry detergent has emerged as a quick resell, thus making it a prime target for these organized groups. It can easily be resold on the street, at the flea market and even in people’s homes. Large retailers have all begun utilizing anti-shoplifting devices to stem the losses, and as a small business owner who carries the same product, you should too. 

 It wasn’t that long ago when I caught one of my first organized retail crime busts. I had been working an investigation at a store and had come upon a group of females who were eventually busted for stealing a large quantity of denim jeans. When the police arrived, they gained a warrant to search the vehicle, as it matched the description of a vehicle involved in a theft earlier in the day. When the search was executed, large quantities of soap, detergent, deodorant and other household items filled the truck from side to side and top to bottom. A subsequent police investigation led detectives to a home not too far away from my store. In their home, was a garage that was set up like a small retail store. It was literally a one stop shop for stolen goods. These ladies would steal product and resell from their home. It was the very definition of organized retail crime. They also took orders and would recruit others to boost for them. We learned that they were giving classes on how to defeat anti-shoplifting measures in the stores. One of the most commonly requested and sold items in their store was of course, laundry detergent. 

 If your store sells laundry detergent, and it’s not protected by an anti-shoplifting solution, there are several things you can do to immediately start to reduce losses. There are several types of tags and labels out there that can be easily and affordably attached to your merchandise to stop a thief. My personal favorite is the iS Shackle Tag. These one piece hard tag can attach directly to the handle of the detergent and is pretty difficult to defeat, even if a shoplifter is using a tool. They provide a very clear deterrent to the theft to begin with, coupled with the low impact it creates on merchandising, gives you a great anti-shoplifting tool to combat theft. 

For more information, contact us: Anti-Shoplifting, or call 1.770.426.0547