What can pharmacies and chemists do about shoplifting?

If you’re running a pharmacy or chemist, it’s likely your business stocks a wide range of high-value items like baby formula, medicines, fragrances and perfumes, cosmetics, razors and toothbrushes (both manual and electronic) and batteries. 

These are all items that thieves target on a regular basis because of their small size and/or high value. Implementing a retail security system with RF or AM labels for your pharmacy or chemist along with training your staff can give you a large advantage when combating theft and stealing within your retail outlet. Here’s a rundown of some of the advantages of implementing a retail security solution:-

• Deters theft by giving a visual cue that stock is protected
• Improves staff safety as thieves are less likely to enter a store with alarm systems in place
• Products can be openly displayed instead of behind a cabinet
• It’s relatively inexpensive when compared to the cost of theft on your business
• Staff can switch focus from stock protection to customer service
• Better stock control (less out-of-stock products due to theft)

Where can pharmacies and chemists get EAS, RF or AM security labels if they already have a security system in place?

Depending on your requirement there are many different types of labels available – from hard tags that are reusable (can be activated and deactivated) through to one-off stickers that are added to products whilst they’re being packaged (called source tagging). 

The types of products you stock in your retail outlet will determine the type and number of labels you require. 

One of the benefits of dealing with Easitag for your EAS, RF or AM security labels is that we stock a wide range of labels specifically designed for different uses and industries. If you have a product that requires tagging or labelling, it’s likely Easitag will either stock or be able to source the label for you. 

Casual theft is on the rise – combat it with retail security labels

Whilst self-serve checkouts seem like a boon for many supermarkets it’s also theorised that the widespread implementation of these types of systems has increased the rate of casual theft over the past few years. There’s even a term for it now, SWIPERS (Seemingly Well-Intentioned Patrons Engaging in Routine Shoplifting) and in one UK study of one million transactions, it was found that when using self serve checkouts, losses were 3.97% of overall stock when compared to just 1.47% when using staff to scan products.

Whilst self-service theft may not impact pharmacies and chemists directly, there is an overall surge in retail theft over the past few years that self-service checkouts are indirectly contributing to. In an environment where it’s easier than ever for people to casually steal, it makes sense to protect the products and stock of your pharmacy or chemist with a retail security system and RF, AM or EAS labels.

If you would like to talk with Easitag about security label options, feel free to call us on 1800 077 375 or visit our contact us page.