Latest news with #TheGrocer
Daily Record
20-05-2025
- Daily Record
Shoppers urged to 'tell on' self-checkout thefts as survey reveals 37% admit to shoplifting
Security gurus are encouraging shoppers to alert shop staff if they witness someone failing to scan an item at self-checkouts, a trend that is bleeding the industry of more than £4billion a year. Surveys indicate nearly two in five shoppers deliberately swipe goods without scanning them at self-service checkouts, slashing retailers' revenues by over four percent of their total sales. Kingdom Security, allied with a host of leading retailers and supermarkets throughout the nation, notes the 'scan and swipe' trend swamping shops has become commonplace for many since the Covid pandemic began. New data from The Grocer show that 37 percent of supermarket customers intentionally neglect to scan one or more items at self-service stations. A nationwide survey querying 1,000 UK residents revealed that 32.5 percent confess to cheating the system by weighing loose commodities inaccurately to shave off their shopping costs. John Nussbaum, Director of Service at Kingdom Security's Retail Division, said: "It's alarming to see this rise over the past years and our officers are only seeing more and more theft in supermarkets and shopping centres across the country. "While some might think this is somehow a lesser offence than outright stealing without paying for a thing, stealing from a machine is still stealing from the store, and ultimately stealing from fellow customers through increased costs. "The reduction of face-to-face contact at checkouts has made some feel emboldened to shoplift in this way. We're urging vigilance to all supermarket shoppers. "If you see shoplifting at a self-service checkout, immediately report it to instore security or staff. If you are tempted to steal at self-checkouts, remember this is a serious offence that isn't worth doing to save a few pounds." Shoplifting adds over £137 to the average UK household's annual food bill, with inflation adjustments taken into account, according to the Police Foundation's predictions. A significant portion of this expense stems from the measures that retailers take to ensure protection against theft and security investments aimed at curbing the annual loss of £4 billion in potential revenue, reports Bristol Live. John further stressed the importance of not taking direct action when it comes to apprehending shoplifters, highlighting the necessity for public safety. John continued: "I'm advising caution to those considering confronting shoplifters, ensuring your personal safety isn't risk is of the utmost concern. "If you see shoplifting in store, immediately alert shop security or call the authorities to intervene, as they are specifically trained to deal with these situations."
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Blow to Asda as key executive quits turnaround after only six months
A key Asda executive has left after less than six months in a blow to the supermarket's turnaround plan. The retailer has begun searching for a replacement for Adrian McKeon, its vice president for commercial ambient, just five months after hiring him. His departure was first reported by The Grocer magazine. Mr McKeon, a well-known figure in the industry who previously worked for Asda in the early 2010s, rejoined the supermarket in January amid a push by executive chairman Allan Leighton to reinvigorate the ailing grocer. Mr Leighton's turnaround effort has seen the supermarket kick off a spiralling price war with its high street rivals as it attempts to claw back lost market share. Asda's share of UK grocery sales has plummeted since it was taken over by the private equity company TDR Capital and the billionaire brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa in a deal that lumbered it with billions of pounds of debt. Its market share has dropped from as high as 15pc in March 2021 to 12.3pc last month. Experts have speculated that, should its decline continue, it could be overtaken by Aldi, which is now the UK's fourth-largest supermarket. Mr Leighton made his name running Asda during the late 1990s, and he is credited with pulling off a spectacular turnaround of the supermarket that culminated in its sale to Walmart in 1999, before stepping down in 2001. In November, he returned to the helm of the supermarket, founded in Yorkshire in 1949, vowing to 'fix the basics' and return it to growth. However, the retailer been plagued by a string of departures of high-ranking staff since he rejoined. Hayley Tatum, its chief people and corporate affairs officer, left in April, while David Hills, the former chief customer officer, stepped down in McKeon was in charge of teams running its alcohol, grocery, non-edible foods and healthcare products before stepping down. A spokesman for Asda said staff had been informed of his departure in an email this week. He said: 'Ade rejoined Asda to support a significant period of change and has played a key role in helping to deliver this during the last six months. 'Ade has signalled his desire to be nearer to home (he lives in west London) and get some balance back into his life. 'Given the amount of work we have to do, it was felt that the time was right to make a change now and to implement the right succession plan which we will communicate in due course.' The Telegraph contacted Mr McKeon for further comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Sign in to access your portfolio
Evening Standard
17-05-2025
- General
- Evening Standard
Best posh crisps: top bites for elite snacking
We eat six billion packets of the salty stuff every year, which is more than any other country in Western Europe, according to The Grocer. In 2021, almost 163,000 tons of crisps were sold across the UK, an all-time high since 2006, says Statista. Packets were taken to WW2 bomb shelters to boost morale during the Blitz. We adore the savoury snack so much, there's even a day dedicated to celebrate them: National Crisp Day on March 14.
Wales Online
13-05-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Sainsbury's trials new SmartShop system that lets you skip checkouts entirely
Sainsbury's trials new SmartShop system that lets you skip checkouts entirely Sainsbury's is testing a new checkout-free service that allows shoppers to skip the tills and self-checkout queues entirely through their SmartShop devices Sainsbury's is set to revamp the shopping experience with a brand-new checkout-free initiative aiming to eliminate the need for customers to wait at tills or use self-service machines by utilising their innovative scan and shop technology. The cutting-edge trial is poised to launch in two Sainsbury's locations, as reported by The Grocer, with one store in Richmond and another in Kempton kick-starting the pilot programme. Under the new system patrons will be able to grab a SmartShop scanner upon entering, scanning items as they progress through their shopping. The seamless transition occurs when it's time to pay as customers can simply tap their payment card against the SmartShop scanner to pay for their bagged goods rather than queueing at a traditional checkout. For money-saving tips sign up to our Money newsletter here. Additionally shoppers will have the choice to print a receipt or get it emailed to themselves after which they return the device to the SmartShop dock and head out of the store. As this technology is still being refined reports indicate that the scanners currently cannot process staff discounts or accept physical Nectar cards, reports the Daily Star. Darren Sinclair, Sainsbury's future stores director, discussed the development with The Grocer, stating: "It's a bit more ergonomic. I think about this as trying to reduce friction, improve payment, and simplify the shopping journey as well as the future potential space." Article continues below Sainsbury's personnel may conduct spot checks on customers' baskets as part of efforts to counteract shoplifting and this SmartShop update is just a fragment of the supermarket's comprehensive checkout transformation initiated last year. In line with other innovative modifications taking place at the retailer AI-assisted video scanning technology is being trialled. These surveillance cameras have been installed in select outlets to monitor the checkout and packing zones for theft prevention. The specific locations where these cameras are operational haven't been disclosed nor has a decision been made about whether the system will be introduced across all Sainsbury's sites. Article continues below Pointing directly downwards the camera has the capability to identify unscanned items being placed into bags. Should such an event occur an alert pops up on the checkout screen advising: "Looks like that last item didn't scan. Please check that you scanned it correctly before continuing." The suite of innovations planned for the checkout overhaul is designed to "reduce friction" within the shopping environment, bolster security measures, and enhance the in-store experience for customers.
Western Telegraph
12-05-2025
- Business
- Western Telegraph
Sainsbury's introduces checkout-free payments in stores
The supermarket brand is currently running a trial that allows customers to pay for purchases using payment-enabled SmartShop handsets. Currently, the trial is being run at two stores, in Richmond and in Kempton and is in its very early test stages. The new checkout-free trial is said to 'reduce friction' for shoppers and follows a recent launch of AI cameras at self-checkouts to stop theft. Sainsbury's trials new checkout-free payment method Sainsbury's new pay with SmartShop handsets will allow customers to tap their card on the device to pay. According to The Grocer, once the payment has gone through, shoppers will be able to choose an emailed receipt or print a receipt at a physical bay. Once the payment has gone through, shoppers then just place the handsets back into the ports as they leave the store. Sainsbury's future stores director Darren Sinclair told The Grocer: 'I think about this as trying to reduce friction, improve payment and simplify the shopping journey, as well as the future potential space.' Sinclair added that he hopes the trial will encourage more people to use SmartShop, sharing that the devices allow them to see 'how people shop'. Recommended Reading Explaining: 'We don't see the physical customer, just see the heat, so we can see which ends are looked at, which screens are looked at and the flow around the store. 'That's massively insightful when we are working out store formats, or when we are doing Nectar screens for suppliers.' The new trial from Sainsbury's is still in the early stages, with shoppers only able to pay on devices and handsets unable to process colleague discounts or swipe a physical Nectar card.
