this post was submitted on 01 Dec 2023
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It isn't. Or at least it isn't as big of a problem as they are letting on. https://www.retaildive.com/news/retailers-crime-problem-numbers/699107/
Shrink has hovered around 1.5% (that's 1.5% of total sales...) And the NRF has been coy about the fact that 1/3 of that shrink is "administrative" issues - lost product, mis allocated, warehouse issues, broken in transit, etc.
Additionally, a little less than a third is from employee theft, and a the remaining 36% is external theft.
But since they lump mistakes and general admin issues in with theft, they get to claim a higher number whenever they complain very loudly so that they can redirect the conversation away from the massive increase in profits they have had, along with the increase in wage theft cases they are losing, as well as trying to cover up the fact they are closing "under performing" stores in poorer neighborhoods (which not limits access to people in those locations, but the store doesn't care, they dont buy stuff anyway...).