Retail: Food & Drink Digital Looks at Security Threats to Food Retailers, from Without and Within

Norwich, UK (July 2, 2010) – Retailing loses over £1.5 billion a year in the UK alone through theft. Food & Drink Digital talks to an industry leader about the steps retailers can take to protect themselves.

Darren Read knows about the problem of shoplifting. As Director of Retail Security for Securitas, a world leader in the field, Read has been involved in the security operations of some of retailing’s biggest names.

“The biggest problem retailers have is that shoplifters are one step ahead,” explains Read. “They’ll install systems and security in lots of different forms, people, cameras, tagging systems, you name it. But if one retailer has the new advanced piece of kit the shoplifters will move to the next retailer, then the next one until they all catch up and then it’ll start again.”

Read argues that the best tool, and biggest potential liability, a retailer has, is its staff.

“How many times have you been in a store and the alarms have gone off and staff have just waved people through?” Read asks. “You won’t go down the high street and find many places that don’t have those alarm systems, but that can be an expensive measure if the staff haven’t been trained, or don’t think it’s they’re job.”

Unpleasant as it may seem, often the staff themselves can be potential thieves.

“We find internal theft is as big a problem for the retailers as external shoplifting,” Read admits. “The staff problem is massive. When you’re coming up to peak periods retailers will hire short term casual contracts people with very little screening or vetting, and that poses a great risk to their business.”

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Food & Drink Digital is a leading digital media source of news and content for C-level executives in the Food & Drink industry worldwide. Food & Drink Digital is the food and drink industry-dedicated arm of the White Digital Media Group. Founded in 2007 by entrepreneur Glen White, White Digital Media retains a diversified portfolio of websites, magazines, daily news feeds and weekly e-newsletters that leverage technology to innovatively deliver high-quality content, analytical data, and industry news.

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 Chris Farnell
 Food & Drink Digital 
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