TESCO bosses are locking up extra virgin olive oil in anti-tamper netting to deter shoplifters.
It has been dubbed “liquid gold” after lower harvests and higher production costs led to prices soaring.
The average price of a litre of own-brand olive oil is £7.38, according to trade publication The Grocer — up 42 per cent on a year ago.
Some extra virgin brands cost as much as £18.50.
That has led to an upturn in thefts — but shop chiefs are now putting sleeves over the expensive bottles instead of just tags.
And the alarms on them let out an ear-splitting ring to make any thieves think twice.
One Tesco worker said: “The old tags just went around the neck of bottles and were quite easy to pull off.
“The new sleeves prevent people opening the bottles and the alarms are very, very loud if they are removed on the sly.”
One shopper posted a picture of shelves full of the Mediterranean cooking favourite in the protective netting and said: “What has the world come to?”
The move comes after Tesco boss Ken Murphy said workers are being offered bodycams in a bid to tackle unruly customers, with assaults on staff up a third.
The firm has invested £44million in four years on improved security measures.
Mr Murphy said: “It shouldn’t have to be like this. Crime is a scourge on society and an insult to shoppers and retail workers.
“I want to see those who break the law in our stores brought to book.”
