A D.C. grocery store is removing Tide, Colgate and Advil to deter theft

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Last edited Sat Sep 2, 2023, 07:43 PM - Edit history (1)

BUSINESS

A D.C. grocery store is removing Tide, Colgate and Advil to deter theft

To avoid shutting down an unprofitable store in Southeast Washington, Giant Food will check receipts and remove products

By Jaclyn Peiser
September 2, 2023 at 7:00 a.m. EDT



A sign announcing a new receipt checking policy in the Anacostia store as Giant Foods grocery is making some changes to their stores to address organized retail crime, in Washington. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post)

In the coming weeks, a Giant Food market in D.C. will clear its beauty and health aisles of all national labels. No more Tide, Colgate or Advil, only store brands. Shoppers also will have to present their receipts to an employee before exiting the store.

It’s the regional supermarket chain’s most overt gambit against the rampant theft that’s plaguing retailers of all sizes. It’s also a potential last-ditch effort to avoid shutting down the unprofitable store on Alabama Avenue — the only major grocer east of the Anacostia River in Ward 8.

“We want to continue to be able to serve the community, but we can’t do so at the level of significant loss or risk to our associates that we have today,” said Giant president Ira Kress.
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Shoplifting, organized crime and violence have become significant concerns for regional and national retailers. Home Depot, Target, Lowe’s, Dollar Tree, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Ulta are among those that flagged shrink — the depletion of inventory caused by something other than sales — during their second-quarter earnings calls. Growing losses have spurred giants like Walmart to shutter locations.

“Our team continues to face an unacceptable amount of retail theft and organized retail crime,” Target chief executive Brian Cornell told investors last month. “During the first five months of this year, our stores saw a 120 percent increase in theft incidents involving violence or threats of violence.”

{snip}



Shelves with specific products that tend to be shoplifted are stocked with the bare minimum in Washington. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post)

{snip}

[cachukis]

1. Us, destroying us.

Too much.

[Demobrat]

2. At least they're trying

not to leave the community with nothing.

[elleng]

4. Yes

[Think. Again.]

3. I'm not sure I believe that...

...a for-profit corporation is trying to keep an unprofitable store open for any reason unless there is some tax or insurance advantage to it.

I thnk maybe they will be making even more profit by using this excuse to only offer their own corporate brand products as it says in the article:

"In the coming weeks, a Giant Food market in D.C. will clear its beauty and health aisles of all national labels. No more Tide, Colgate or Advil, only store brands."

[cachukis]

5. Gee, cut to the chase. Have they not been decimated by theft?

Do they have a fairly strong presence in town. They were there when I lived in NE during mid 70's.
How do corporations survive without good will?
The accountants are on it.

[Think. Again.]

7. Good will is not...

...any part of a for-profit's actions.

Corporate executives have a legal responsibility to maximize shareholder value.

When you see a for-profit corporation touting some community service or charitable action, it is either adding to their profit margin, reducing thier tax burden, or intended as a public relations/advertising expense (which is tax-deductible).

[cachukis]

9. So you don't think packing their bags tomorrow, would hurt them?

It's just, business.

[Think. Again.]

11. I have no idea...

...how their profit generation would be affected by closing that store.

But I do know their priority is maximizing profit and, as I wrote, I don't believe they are keeping a store open that is showing a loss just to be nice, in fact, the shareholders could take the decisionmakers to court over that.

I'm just trying to stick to the reality of the situation here. Getting all warm and fuzzy feelings from a for-profit corporation is just a reflection of successful marketing. Corporations really aren't people, no matter what 'Citizens United' says.

[Demobrat]

6. Those national brands are targeted by thieves

because they’re easy to resell online or here, in San Francisco, on the street. No doubt the same thing happens in other cities. The store brands are not as valuable.

[Think. Again.]

8. I doubt those items...

...have the highest street value out of all the items thieves could grab in the store.

[cachukis]

10. There were many items in the beauty aisle that were being pulled.

Perhaps, they have street value.

[Phoenix61]

12. I have a radical idea.... shut down self-checkout.

“ limiting the number of items through self checkout”
The only way out of the store with a bag is through a checkout line. Of course, they’d have to pay someone to run the register.

[IronLionZion]

13. I hate those things so much

and prefer to choose a line that has a real human that won't complain about the weight of my reusable bag I set down in the bagging area.

But there is labor shortage everywhere, even grocery stores. A Giant store near this one had a security guard shot dead by a shoplifter.

[Phoenix61]

14. OMG! That's horrible! nt