this post was submitted on 06 Nov 2025
208 points (96.4% liked)

Progressive Politics

3489 readers
139 users here now

Welcome to Progressive Politics! A place for news updates and political discussion from a left perspective. Conservatives and centrists are welcome just try and keep it civil :)

(Sidebar still a work in progress post recommendations if you have them such as reading lists)

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] Lemming6969@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

This doesn't appear normalized to cost increases, which might outpace the rate, which means theft is down. I seriously doubt half of all people are stealing food.

[–] idiomaddict@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

45% of shoplifters steal food, not shoppers. I would guess the others are taking clothes, jewelry, electronics, etc.

[–] Lemming6969@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Ah sure, but are they just counting that 45% of stolen goods are food items, or 45% are only stealing food, and if so, how can they know that? What was the percent previously?

[–] otter@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 1 week ago

How high are you?

[–] Assassassin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

With how omnipresent self checkouts have become, I wouldn't be surprised if a good chunk of customers have accidentally stolen something at least once a year.

[–] Lemming6969@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Maybe if we consider accidents. I don't really understand how they can even measure this in the first place, maybe a poll but that's very unreliable methodology and sample monitoring would need a crazy large N.

[–] Assassassin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

It's probably just based off of normal shrinkage metrics that stores already collect anyway. If you could get target, Walmart, and Costco to give you their data, that'd be thousands of stores.

[–] Lemming6969@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I mean they can tell you item counts missing and total value, but how are they counting percentage of patrons? Unless you are extrapolating from catching people and assuming some likelihood of being caught...

[–] Assassassin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Idk man, I'm just spit balling.

[–] Lemming6969@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

Oop I meant they are not you are, but yeah, who knows