this post was submitted on 26 Oct 2023

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Australian retailers add security tech amid rising theft, aggression (www.reuters.com)

submitted 1 year ago by throws_lemy@lemmy.nz to c/technology

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[–] WaterWaiver@aussie.zone 34 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Public line: Cameras are because of theft. Theft is because of cost of living.

I feel that quite a bit is being glossed over. The sources for this article seem very one-sided, I'm also skeptical of the chosen union's line:

Gerard Dwyer, National Secretary of the Shop Distributive & Allied Employees Association, the country's main retail union, said while security technology was being upgraded it was up to the justice system to act as a deterrent by imposing tougher penalties.

I thought that stronger penalties didn't impact this sort of thing? Maybe I misheard.

I would never dob someone in for stealing food, especially if the penalties suddenly got worse, unless I knew a lot about exactly why they were doing it.

Other things worth considering:

(1) Is there a relationship between theft rates and self-checkout rates? They don't want to pay checkout staff, so if there is a correlation (which I suspect they would have researched in depth using their own store data) then it is unlikely they would be public about it. Instead they would only speak about other correlations that are not their fault, like the rising cost of living.

(2) Do these cameras provide other benefits to Colesworth? Better tracking of individuals? Saleable data?

[–] Ringmasterincestuous@aussie.zone 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

What the person said but fuck.. both (Coles and woolies) get enough in this country.

(3) if you do steal from them, take my share too

[–] abhibeckert 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

... they don't pay for the theft. They are businesses not charities.

It's ordinary aussies who pay. Coles and Woolies set their prices high enough to cover the cost of the stolen items.

This is a vicious cycle. Cost of living goes up, theft goes up, cost of living goes up, theft goes up, etc. Eventually theft is so bad the store can justify hiring police officers to supervise the self checkout section all day long.

And who pays for the police officer at every coles/woolies in the country? Yep. Ordinary aussies pay. And the current price is $116.19 per hour (in NSW). And the people who are arrested? We pay for their arrest. We pay for the laywer who argues against them in court. We pay for the legal aid defence lawyer who defends them in court. We pay for the judge. And we pay for the jury. And we pay for their prison costs... fuck. Wouldn't it be better if they just didn't steal that loaf of bread?

These are the things the reserve bank is trying to avoid when inflation is too high. It can lead to the collapse of our entire society. I'm not talking hypotheticals either. Go to a woolies or coles in the northern territory. There's often a police officer standing at the checkouts and stopping people to search their bags. And in some parts of the NT you can pay 70 bucks for a tin of instant coffee (theft isn't the main reason for that, but it's part of the reason - people steal a lot of food when it costs that much).

If you're hungry, there are charities who will give you food. Don't steal food.

[–] Marsupial@quokk.au 11 points 1 year ago

Coles and Woolies set their prices as high as they know they can sell them for to maximise profits.

If they didn’t have to pay loss costs, they would pocket the difference instead of altruistically passing the savings onto the consumer.

[–] Ringmasterincestuous@aussie.zone 4 points 1 year ago

That just ensures this shit show continues forever.

Better off suggesting everyone steal.

[–] t3rmit3 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Wouldn’t it be better if they just didn’t steal that loaf of bread?

Or, you know, if we took the money much earlier on in the chain, and used it to give them food so they don't need to. Bread sure doesn't cost $116 an hour. Charity cannot solve systemic failures of government policy (like not taking care of its citizens).

[–] brisk@aussie.zone 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The SDA is infamous for fighting against the interests of workers under its umbrella.

[–] princessnorah@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 1 year ago

Friendly PSA to support your local Retail and Fast Food Workers Union branch!

https://raffwu.org.au

SDA can eat a dick.

[–] Five@slrpnk.net 9 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Some required reading whenever journalists uncritically report retailer's narratives:

[–] pollen 9 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I raised an eyebrow when I noticed that both posts you linked to were posted to a community called “shoplifting”, whose sidebar has a description reading,

exchanging tricks and experiences. discussing trends and events. connecting shoplifting to politcal [sic] theory and praxis. also memes.

It’s a community that encourages illegal activity, and not even specifically for a social/political cause or socioeconomic reason. This does not sound very nice to me, and it makes it hard for me to take the articles you linked to seriously.

[–] Fizz@lemmy.nz 1 points 1 year ago

Am I missing something or does the end of the article give a aud to usd conversion despite the article containing no money figures.

[–] autotldr@lemmings.world 1 points 1 year ago

🤖 I'm a bot that provides automatic summaries for articles:

Click here to see the summary

Top supermarket chains like Woolworths (WOW.AX) and Coles (COL.AX) have flagged a pickup in store theft and hostile behaviour, in line with global trends, as higher fuel, housing and grocery costs squeeze shopper budgets and tempers.

Customer-facing staff at Coles and Woolworths, which together make up two-thirds of Australian grocery sales, have started wearing body cameras to record threatening behaviour, while trolleys are being fitted with wheels which automatically lock if a shopper tries to leave without paying.

"Unfortunately the data suggests it's continuing to occur," added Thomson, whose firm counts Coles and Woolworths as clients.

Reports of store theft surged 23% in Australia's three largest states of New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, home to three-quarters of the population, in the year to March 2023, according to the latest available government statistics, as COVID-related restrictions ended.

Store theft and customer aggression are both higher, but "we are more concerned with ensuring the continued wellbeing and safety of our team", Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci said on an Oct. 25 sales call, in which he linked changing shopper behaviour with living cost pressures.

Gerard Dwyer, National Secretary of the Shop Distributive & Allied Employees Association, the country's main retail union, said while security technology was being upgraded it was up to the justice system to act as a deterrent by imposing tougher penalties.

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