Retailers are implementing a variety of new anti-theft measures to combat a rise in shoplifting by Canadians, but consumers have mixed feelings about the different tactics being employed, a new survey suggests.
Only 17 per cent of the 1,500 Canadians surveyed by national pollster Leger Marketing Inc. said they would be OK with a requirement to scan their identification to buy something, but 88 per cent were onside when it comes to being watched by security cameras while they shop. Parking Block
The survey, conducted Aug. 4 to 6, comes amid rising discomfort over anti-theft measures at Canadian retailers — including grocery carts with wheels that lock, triggering an alarm or a requirement to leave backpacks with security before entering a store — that have some shoppers complaining they are being treated like criminals.
But sector players counter that shoplifting has become a serious problem.
Organizations ranging from the Retail Council of Canada to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) to large companies such as Loblaw Cos. Ltd., say theft has risen over the last year in part due to inflation, resulting in the need for stronger security measures.
“ Theft has increased across all categories including food, apparel and footwear merchandise,” said Michelle Wasylyshen, a national spokeswoman for the Retail Council of Canada, in an email. “Escalating inflation, a growing re-sale market for stolen goods and an increase of organized crime are some of the contributors.”
The council doesn’t have a current dollar value for retail theft “since much of it goes unreported,” Wasylyshen said, “but we know it’s increasing.”
Criminal violations for non-automotive theft under $5,000 per 100,000 population rose 14.4 per cent in 2022 from 2021, according to Statistics Canada’s information hub for violations reported by police.
The Leger survey compiled a list of 10 security measures that included cameras, alarms attached to items, locked-away items, security guards, receipt checks, security mirrors, leaving large bags with store staff, elimination of self check-out machines, limits on customers in a store and requiring customers to scan their IDs to make a purchase.
Leger found varying degrees of support: 85 per cent of respondents indicated support for alarms attached to certain items and 78 per cent approved of security guards. Results were almost split on employees checking receipts, while just under half were onside with the elimination of self-serve checkout machines.
After that, support for measures dropped with only one-third receptive to limiting the number of customers in a store or requiring that large bags be left with a retailer’s employee.
Overall, a large majority of Canadians appear to accept that submitting to store security is the price to be paid for shopping.
The survey results showed that 45 per cent of respondents felt that stores were implementing enough security, while 27 per cent said there wasn’t enough. Ten per cent said there was too much security in stores and the remainder did not have an opinion.
There were some notable gender and regional breakdowns.
Only 15 per cent of women compared with 20 per cent of men supported scanning their ID to make a purchase. Fewer women than men, 27 per cent versus 37 per cent, found leaving their bags with security acceptable.
Regionally, almost 60 per cent of Quebecers were sanguine about having receipts checked at store exits but only 25 per cent agreed that limiting the number of customers in a store was acceptable. Many Ontarians, on the other hand, appeared to strongly object to leaving their bags with store staff with only 28 per cent supporting the practice.
With overall inflation at 2.8 per cent in June, though the cost of food continued to increase, some retailers are seeing signs that Canadians are becoming a little less nimble-fingered.
Loblaw said in its latest earnings report it appeared that the number stolen items is “peaking,” Financial Post reported.
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The number of residential building permits issued in June ticked up slightly from May, but the overall value fell 1.8 per cent to $6.9 billion, a dip that comes after several months of steady growth in the construction sector.
The data, released Aug. 9 by Statistics Canada, showed the value decline was largely driven by Ontario, which experienced a significant drop of 11.4 per cent, or $358.1 million. The decline was noteworthy given the province had exhibited strong growth in May, primarily due to the initiation of large multi-unit projects.
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Earnings: Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd., Cineplex Inc., Quebecor Inc., Brookfield Corp., Onex Corp., CI Financial Corp., Pizza Pizza Royalty Corp.
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Gary Teelucksingh, partner and chief executive of Capco Canada, talks with Financial Post’s Larysa Harapyn about generational wealth and how to ensure your legacy. He discusses strategies for transferring wealth and more. Watch the video here.
Today’s Posthaste was written by Gigi Suhanic, (@gsuhanic), with additional reporting from The Canadian Press and Bloomberg.
Have a story idea, pitch, embargoed report, or a suggestion for this newsletter? Email us at posthaste@postmedia.com, or hit reply to send us a note.
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