Coles has “aggressively rolled out” new technology to track every step of shoppers from the moment they enter a store.
In a desperate attempt to combat rising theft, overhead cameras, trolley locks, and smart gates will be installed.
Matt Swindells, Coles’ Chief Operational Officer, told A Current Affair on Wednesday.
Your average supermarket will feel more like a maximum-security jail or bank vault.
Cameras are used to track customers as they enter the store and record their movements.
As you approach the checkout, high-tech cameras mounted above self-checkout machines track every item being scanned and bagged.
The smart gates will then lock themselves to prevent any shopper with unscanned products from leaving the store. An alarm will sound.
To deter burglars, fog machines that set off automatically have been introduced. Also, trolleys with wheels that lock automatically when someone tries to run away are being used.
These drastic measures have been implemented to combat the 20 percent increase in thefts in stores, which cost retailers $9 billion per year.
Swindells, a program host, said that after a six-month trial, the technology is being “aggressively rolled out” in Australia over the next three months.
The ultimate goal of the Coles security program is to make it virtually impossible for anyone to steal anything from their store.
This comes after the retailer announced on Tuesday that it would also be rolling out body-worn cameras to its staff as a further attempt to prevent theft and protect their staff following an alarming rise in violent behavior towards employees.
It’s important to remember that most customers behave well in stores. “Measures like these are for those who don’t,” said a Coles spokesperson to news.com.au.
The safety of both our team members as well as our customers is of paramount importance to us. We have implemented a number of security measures, such as security personnel and surveillance technologies, like CCTV, in order to reduce the theft of goods from our stores.
Woolworths implemented a bold security measure to protect its employees back in 2021, which was widely praised.
Many consumers have expressed concern about the increasing number of cameras installed in supermarkets, even though they welcome measures that protect staff.
Customers have criticized the controversial AI checkout cameras that are already installed at Coles and Woolworths self-serve checkouts. They claim they are “completely inacceptable.”
Dr Monique Man, Senior Lecturer of Criminology and Vice-Chairperson of the Australian Privacy Foundation at Deakin University, said: “I believe Coles should consider other approaches which do not default on surveillance.”
Why is there an increase in shoplifting? Why do people act aggressively towards the staff? People are in a tough situation. While people are struggling, Woolworths and Coles are making massive profits (over a billion dollars) despite a cost-of-living crisis. They should consider that and work to reduce the cost of living rather than expanding surveillance and profits.
Coles reported that it had made a profit in the last financial year of $1.1bn, but stock losses increased by 20 percent, mainly because of theft.
In its latest annual report, the company stated that “stock loss is a top priority. We are taking immediate action to address this issue including accelerating our investment in technology.”
