Archie Norman, the chairman of Marks and Spencer, has issued a stark warning about self-checkouts in all UK stores, claiming they are contributing to a rise in shoplifting. Norman, who has led the retail group since 2017, said that self-service technology has severed the 'human link' between stores and customers.
Human Link Broken
Norman explained that when honest shoppers encounter items that do not scan and no staff are present, they may feel justified in taking goods without paying. 'When normally good, honest people come in, and they’re buying their shopping, and it doesn’t scan, and there’s nobody manning the checkouts, they’re saying: ‘It’s not my fault and I don’t have much time so if I can’t get my strawberries through, I’ll just put them in my basket’,' he told The Telegraph.
Technology Improvements Needed
Despite the warning, Norman said supermarkets do not need to bring back in-person checkouts to reduce theft. Instead, he emphasised the need to make technology easier for customers to use. M&S has added hundreds of self-service machines across its stores.
Police Response Criticised
Thinus Keeve, M&S retail director, criticised London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan for failing to tackle crime in the capital, stating the situation was 'getting worse, not better'. Norman blamed uncooperative police forces for not intervening against prolific shoplifters who are 'clearing shelves to feed a habit'. He said: 'When you have gangs of kids coming in and sweeping the shelves, that’s a police event and it requires an active police response. When something like that starts to become common it says to everybody, including ordinary citizens, that it’s not safe.'
Industry Concerns
Lucy Whing of the British Retail Consortium described the rise in organised crime as 'particularly worrying as gangs systematically target one store after another across the country'. Lord Richard Walker, Iceland chairman, told LBC that shoplifting is fuelling the cost of living crisis by eating into workers’ wages and investment in lowering prices. He also called on the Information Commissioner’s Office to support greater use of facial recognition technology.
