Tesco stores are now hiding bacon and sausages from thieves behind ‘locked doors’
A supermarket has caged sausages, bacon, and other meat behind a locked door ‘to protect stock and availability’.
Tesco Express on Tower Bridge Road in central London has been posted on social media for its sign warning customers of the security move.
A sign on the fridge door reads: ‘To protect stock and availability this door is locked. Please ask a member of staff for assistance.’
The sign has been stuck to the fridge window in the chilled meat section, while a photo from a shocked customer shows sausages, bacon and BBQ pork riblets locked behind the glass.
Tesco occasionally places security tags on expensive items in an effort to curb thefts.
Earlier this month, consumer journalist Harry Wallop posted a photo of a sign telling customers that the steaks were ‘available by request’ while shopping in a central London Aldi store.
The sign read: ‘These items are request only to keep our colleagues and community safe from anti-social behaviour’.
Mr Wallop shared the picture on Twitter with the caption: ‘In my local Aldi UK. You now have to ask shop assistant for them to bring steaks from stock room. To stop shoplifting.
‘I’ve seen security tags on high value products in supermarkets – but never this. Grim times.’
The Telegraph reported that shoplifting cases took a drastic rise in the final three months of 2022, as the cost-of-living crisis pus thieves to target supermarkets.
There were nearly 275,000 shoplifting offences recorded in 2021/22, the new Office for National Statistics reports.
Chief inspector of constabulary Andy Cooke said rising prices will lead to an increase in crime and become a greater threat for policing.
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