Supermarket’s extreme step to stop thieves stealing iconic Australian snack

The supermarket’s drastic move has exposed a sad reality about the ever–crippling cost-of-living crisis.

Alexandra Feiam

2 min read

August 30, 2024 - 9:21AM

Family Life

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We’ve reached dark times.

With the cost of living continuing to cripple across the world, supermarkets have taken extreme measures to prevent people from stealing household essentials.

Now it appears an iconic Australian treat is the next victim, as spotted in a British supermarket.

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Tins of Milo have been locked away with security tags. Picture: Angela Beckett/news.com.au

Tins of Milo locked with security tags as shoplifting rates increase

Sitting on the shelf of a Tesco’s in King’s Cross, London, was a 400g tin of Milo priced at a whopping £6.60 each (A$12.80).

In comparison, you can pick up a similar-sized tin of Milo at your local Coles for $9.40 and $9 at Woolies.

However, it’s not only the eye-watering price of the iconic Aussie treat that has people talking.

Amongst the collection of Milo were other essentials, such as tins of cereals for children and babies and powdered milk.

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Every single tin on the shelf was wrapped in a net bag and security tagged to prevent shoplifting.

While it’s certainly not an unusual sight to see supermarkets adding extra security measures to some of their food to prevent shoplifting, we’ve really only seen this with meat and other expensive items like alcohol or electronics.

However, as the cost of living crisis continues to ravage the country, it's obvious families are struggling to stay afloat.

There has been an increase in shoplifting amid the cost of living crisis. Picture: Angela Beckett/news.com.au

Shoplifting rates increasing amid cost-of-living crisis

According to news.com.au, shoplifting is at a 20-year high in the UK.

"Our latest crime survey showed losses to theft doubled in the last year to £1.8bn (A$3.4bn), and retailers had to spend a further £1.2bn (A$2..3bn) on anti-crime measures," said Graham Wynn, assistant director of Regulatory Affairs at the British Retail Consortium.

England is not the only country suffering from an increase in shoplifting.

A 2023 report from the Crime Statistics Agency recorded a staggering increase in shoplifting across Victoria, with rates jumping nearly 40 per cent - the highest recorded figure in the agency’s history.

According to the CSA’s chief statistician, Fiona Dowsley, the top three categories of stolen items include “liquor, snack food and clothing and soft drinks”.

“These aren't diamond heists … when we look at the top three items that we're seeing stolen, they tend to be consumable items,” she said, per the ABC.

Speaking to the BBC in April, Laurence Guinness, the head of the anti-poverty charity Childhood Trust, said some struggling families are turning to shoplifting just to feed their children.

“Money is not stretching far enough to meet the needs of the households,” he said.

“If you’ve only got £15 (A$29) a week to feed yourself and your family, you might put a packet of chicken breasts in your bag and [think] if you get caught, you’ll probably be OK,” he said.

While he “does not endorse” people stealing, he believes “hunger is a very strong motivator of people taking things they just don't have the money for”.