Co-op locks up olive oil in bleak reminder of cost-of-living crisis | UK News

A branch of Co-op has placed its olive oil under lock and key following a number of thefts.

The bottles at the shop in Sprowston Road, Norwich, are displayed in security cases that can only be opened by staff on request.

The extreme measure was put in place after the store saw a significant rise in shoplifting.

The thefts reflect a UK-wide trend, where reported shoplifting incidents have risen by 27% across 10 of the country’s largest cities, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC).

In some cities, they were up as much as 68%, it said.

Earlier this year, One in 10 young adults admitted to stealing items from supermarket self-checkouts to cope amid the cost-of-living crisis, according to survey of 2,000 people.

A spokesperson for Co-op, said: ‘Protecting the safety of our colleagues is a priority and we know shoplifting can be a flashpoint for violence against shop workers.

‘So, whilst this is not a nationwide policy, a decision to implement product security measures at a local level will be made, if a store is experiencing a particular issue.’

Matt Hood, Co-op Food managing director, said: ‘We have seen some horrific incidents of brazen and violent theft in our stores, where my store colleagues feel scared and threatened.’

This week the BRC called on police officers to do more to help combat the ‘unprecedented levels’ of theft and abuse which they said is blighting communities.

The coalition of businesses and staff said they are not turning up to deal with violent attacks on workers because the criminal has already fled the scene.

In a letter to police and crime commissioners across the country, they said that ‘in the vast majority, if not all’ cases there will be CCTV footage available and urged forces to make it easier for them to pass on crucial evidence and boost efforts to find serial offenders.

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