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M&S Boss Says Self-Checkout Theft Is Pushing Honest People to Shoplift
Archie Norman said unmanned tills are helping ordinary shoppers become shoplifters, as M&S reported 509,566 theft incidents last year.
- On Friday, Marks & Spencer chairman Archie Norman blamed self-checkouts for rising shoplifting among 'good, honest people,' claiming customers often steal unscanned items when pressed for time.
- The retailer installed 800 self-service tills in 2023 to save £150 million; City St George's University of London Professor Emmeline Taylor coined the term 'swipers' for middle-class shoppers exploiting checkout flaws.
- Official data released this week showed 509,566 shoplifting offences last year, a 1% decrease from 2024, while Taylor noted that offenders often use 'class signifiers' to avoid detection.
- On Thursday, Sainsbury's chief executive Simon Roberts called for increased police presence, citing 'concerning' incidents, as major retailers urge a government crackdown on retail crime.
- Norman distinguished these shoppers from organized criminal gangs, which he termed a 'police event' requiring active response, as retailers face pressure to balance technological efficiency with loss-prevention strategies.
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13 Articles
13 Articles
Evening Standard+4 Reposted by 4 other sources
M&S chairman blames self-service checkouts for rise in shoplifting
Archie Norman said self-service checkouts had broken the ‘human link’ between retailers and shoppers.
·London, United Kingdom
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources13
Leaning Left3Leaning Right2Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Center
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources are Center
50% Center
L 30%
C 50%
R 20%
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