UK supermarkets start locking up meat products, here's what you should know

A Tesco Express has taken to locking up its sausages and bacon in an effort to reduce shoplifting. The new measure is just one of many as supermarkets across the country have seen a surge in theft as a result of the cost of living crisis.

The store on Tower Bridge Road in Southwark, London has put up a sign on its chilled section warning potential shoplifters that the cabinet is locked.

‘To protect stock’

The photo of the sign was shared on Twitter by the local site @SE1 and reads:

To protect stock and availability this door is locked. Please ask a member of staff for assistance.

It is thought that the sign has now been removed but it is an indication of how desperate thieves are becoming with grocery price inflation hitting 14.7% last month.

Whilst it is not a universal policy in Tesco, several stores have been implementing security measures to reduce shoplifting with milk, cheese and eggs also being targeted.

According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS), shoplifting increased by 18 per cent in the year to the end of June compared to the previous year.

4-pint milk containers

The ONS has also described how households are now paying a whopping 90 per cent more for gas and electricity, which is putting further pressure on people’s finances.

Traditionally security tagging was often used on expensive or dangerous items in supermarkets including alcohol, razors and perfume but increasingly smaller items are being tagged. It was reported this week that in a Tesco Extra in Cornwall even 4-pint containers of milk had been tagged, which resulted in astonishment on social media, however Tesco claimed it was down to 'human error'.

A Tesco spokesperson said, as per the Daily Mail:

We do not have a policy to place security tags on fresh milk. A very small amount of milk was incorrectly tagged today in our Redruth Extra store and these tags have now been removed. We're sorry for any inconvenience caused.

Sources used:

- Daily Mail 'Now Tesco locks up bacon and sausages: Meat is padlocked in fridges 'to protect stock' as hard-up Brits struggle through cost of living crisis'

- Twitter @SE1