Walgreens renovated one of their stores in downtown Chicago to fight the rising incidents of shoplifting, according to multiple reports.
The store is now offering only two aisles of “essentials” where “customers may shop for themselves.” If one wants an item that is labeled “non-essential,” regular shoppers will have to request it at the counter and wait for authorized personnel to retrieve it, CWB Chicago noted.
“This redesigned store will have the latest in e-commerce offerings to increase customer service, mitigate theft, and increase safety for our customers and employees,” the company said in an e-mail to a concerned customer. (RELATED: REPORT: A Third Of NYC Shoplifting Committed By The Same 347 People)
Walgreens explained that it is “testing a new experience at this store with new concepts, technologies, and practices to enhance the experiences of our customers and team members,” according to CWB Chicago.
Walgreens debuts new ‘anti-theft’ store with just two aisles where customers shop for themselves https://t.co/FAZWRVTqaC pic.twitter.com/HUcTTbcQoB
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) June 2, 2023
The store is equipped with anti-shoplifting devices that protect two rows of low-rise shelves offering limited “essential” items, according to CWB Chicago. All “non-essential” items must be requested through a store iPad, where a sign invites customers to shop the store’s “full selection.”
“It will continue to offer retail products and pharmacy services, just with a new look and feel that focuses on shopping digitally for convenience. Inside the store, customers will find an area where they can pick-up orders, digital kiosks for placing an order, as well as an area to shop for essential items,” a spokesperson from Walgreens explained, according to CWB Chicago .
Many retailers nationwide struggled dealing with shoplifting and robberies amid the 2020 civil unrest after the death of George Floyd, according to My State Line. Walmart threatened to close stores and increase prices to mitigate revenue loss, while Target already lost $400 million in 2022, the outlet noted.