Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen correspondent: US vetoes UNSC draft resolution that would have demanded ceasefire in Gaza, lifting of restrictions on aid.
Reports of explosions at Hama military airport in Syria
Shamkhani to Al Mayadeen: There is no mention of lifting sanctions in the latest US proposal, even though this issue is fundamental for Iran
Ali Shamkhani, political advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic of Iran, to Al Mayadeen: After receiving the American proposal, we are now preparing our new proposal
Shamkhani to Al Mayadeen: Iran will never give up its inherent rights
Iranian Defense Minister to Al Mayadeen: Israeli threats to Iran are just pointless nonsense
Iranian Defense Minister to Al Mayadeen: Those who actually possess the power and ability to threaten Iran do not speak as such; they are simply incapable of doing so
Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh to Al Mayadeen: Iran possesses enough power to render 'Israel' incapable of threatening it
Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem after meeting with Iranian FM Abbas Araghchi emphasized the importance of Iran’s positive role in the region and its support for the Palestinian Resistance and its people
Iranian FM Abbas Araghchi after meeting with Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem: Iran is keen to assist Lebanon and stand by its side economically and politically, on the basis of mutual respect

Tesco locks chilled meats fridge to prevent shoplifting during crisis

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 14 Jan 2023 15:40
3 Min Read

This practice is becoming more common across UK supermarkets as prices skyrocket and people continue to struggle to make ends meet.

  • x
  • A consumer shopping at a supermarket in the UK (The Mirror)
    A consumer shopping at a supermarket in the UK (The Mirror)

Sausages and bacon have been padlocked in fridges by Tesco to prevent shoplifting at their Express branch in Bermondsey, south of London.

A notice was taped to the fridge stating the reason it was locked was to “protect stock and availability” and requested customers to ask a store associate for assistance if they wanted to purchase sausage or bacon.

Consumer expert Jane Hawkes expressed how "very worrying" that supermarkets like Tesco are having to turn to "locking away produce to prevent shoplifting during the cost of living crisis.”

She underlined how common this practice is becoming as both prices skyrocket and “the number of those struggling to make ends meet rises”. The Tesco shop in Bermondsey later removed the locks and the taped notice as this was not a decision made by its head office. 

Related News

The Guardian: Tesco chair faces sexual harassment allegations

Crime rates increase across supermarkets 

There are fears that the extremely-high inflation prediction will fuel higher crime rates and theft. For example, UK supermarket Asda placed security tags to Lurpak as the price of butter rose last summer. 

Retail expert Clive Black stated: “Supermarkets are having to deploy a lot of people and technology to meet the shoplifting challenge," adding that “with inflation comes hardship for some and shoplifting becomes part of getting by while, for the less scrupulous, higher prices mean opportunity.”

Theft crimes increased across the industry by 16% in the three months to last October, according to a Freedom of Information cited and requested by The Telegraph. Data from 20 police forces recorded 10,019 cases, up from 8,602 in July with Tesco and Sainsbury's accounting for two-fifths of the calls and proving to be the most frequent targets. 

According to Sainsbury's, the second-largest supermarket chain in the UK, people were rationing eating outside and preferred to eat at home to try and lower monthly consumption costs to embrace the looming impact of skyrocketing energy bills during the winter.

In November, the cost of grocery shopping for UK residents has hit a staggering £682 rise per year compared to the same period last year, and around a £40 increase from the month prior, according to a report by Kantar Worldpanel.

Read next: UK businesses no longer as attractive to foreign investors: Poll

  • Tesco
  • economy
  • UK inflation
  • UK
  • cost of living

Most Read

Lebanon's PM Nawaf Salam meets with US envoy Morgan Ortagus in Beirut on April 5, 2025 (Dalati Nohra via AP)AP)

Morgan Ortagus to exit US role in Lebanon amid policy shift

  • Politics
  • 1 Jun 2025
Spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announces a new operation against Ben Gurion Airport on May 29, 2025 (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemen announces successful hypersonic missile strike on Ben Gurion

  • Politics
  • 30 May 2025
It may well be due to the longstanding relationship between MI6 and HTS, via Inter Mediate, that Britain was the first Western country to recognise their assumption of government in Syria. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab El-Hajj)

How MI6 helped HTS seize Syria

  • Opinion
  • 31 May 2025
An Israeli army vehicle moves in the Gaza Strip as seen from southern occupied Palestine, Thursday, May 29, 2025 (AP)

Hamas rejects Witkoff ceasefire plan, says alters terms

  • Politics
  • 29 May 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Patrice Lumumba: The national hero of the DR Congo
Politics

Patrice Lumumba: The national hero of the DR Congo

A Palestinian woman mourns as she embraces the body of her daughter Mayar Abu Odeh, 8, who was killed in an Israeli army strike on Gaza. at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (AP)
Politics

French port workers block arms shipment to 'Israel' amid Gaza genocide

AP
Politics

Shas party backs Knesset dissolution, Netanyahu's coalition at risk

The head of the Council of Ministers, Dr. Nawaf Salam, received a delegation from the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc at the Grand Serail.  (@grandserail)
Politics

Hezbollah bloc, PM Salam discuss reconstruction, national unity

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS