or locking up nearly all items in a southern California store, putting everything from baby formula and paper towels to makeup and potato chips behind plexiglass.
The drugstore chain, which emerged from federal bankruptcy protection earlier this month, took measures at its store in Compton that go beyond locking up higher-value items that require a drugstore employee to unlock a case. Rite Aid’s Compton store this summer began requiring customers to “ring for help” by pressing a button that alerts an employee to come unlock the encased products throughout the store.
“At the same time, we are also exploring different shrink mitigation actions to ensure our pharmacies serve our communities without any disruption,” Rite Aid said in a statement. “We are taking an active role in helping law enforcement in their pursuit of shoplifters, as well as continuing our efforts to educate community leaders on the impact of retail theft and advocate for solutions.
“Retail crime continues to be one of the top challenges facing our industry today. We are focused on the safety of our patients, customers and team members, and have taken a number of steps to help reduce organized retail theft in our stores,” Walgreens said in a statement. “We also continue to partner with others across the retail industry, as well as law enforcement, elected officials and community leaders to improve shrink trends.