Retail Panic Button Law Signed By NY Governor
The law requires the adoption of a violence prevention plan, workers to be trained in de-escalation and the installation of panic buttons throughout corporate retail stores.

NY enacts panic button law despite retailer pushback
A bill intended to increase retail worker safety and prevent workplace violence, which was heartily opposed by a major retailer earlier this year, was signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul Wednesday.

The Retail Worker Safety Act would require the adoption of a violence prevention plan, workers to be trained in de-escalation and the installation of panic buttons throughout corporate retail stores. The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), who spearheaded the act, touted its passage Wednesday.

What does the newly passed NY retail safety law require?

In a certain section of the act, access to panic buttons in New York locations of retail stores with 500 or more employees nationwide is required. The panic button would either be a physical button installed throughout the workplace or a wearable or mobile phone-based button installed on employee equipment which, when pressed, would immediately contact local emergency services, provide the employee's location information and dispatch local law enforcement to the store, according to the bill's text.

The act also requires retail employers to implement programs to prevent workplace violence and provide training on such programs for employees.

Panic button requirement causes concern

Walmart, the Arkansas-based retail giant, opposed the panic button element of the legislation because the company believes there's likely to be too many false alarms. And some retail groups are pointing to the price tag of installation being too hefty, Reuters said, while others are worried it lacks clarity.

When will law go into effect?

The law will go into effect 180 days after it's signed, however, the panic button part of the legislation will not go into effect until Jan. 1, 2027. democratandchronicle.com


Retailers See Improved Shrink Numbers Amid Theft Crackdown
Target slows store theft, but at a cost to shopping experience

Asset protection experts say more innovation instead of familiar locked-up products is what will help retailers keep shrink like shoplifting at bay without deterring customers.

That quick Target run isn’t as speedy as it used to be with everything from deodorant to boxer briefs under lock and key at a growing number of stores as retailers take a more forceful approach to stymieing shoplifting.

In many ways, the lockdown — including wheel-locking carts if shoppers venture too far from the store — has worked. Minneapolis-based Target and several other retail chains this summer have shrunk their rate of shrink, the industry term for physical product losses. But keeping rows of products behind plexiglass, among other theft deterrents, could eventually drive shoppers out of stores or leave them feeling alienated, loss prevention experts say.

For more than two years, companies such as Target and CVS have suffered from an increase in retail losses. Target reported its shrink costs grew more than $500 million last year compared to 2022. In October, the retailer controversially closed nine stores across the country because of theft.

But Target reported in its most recent quarterly report in August that it expects its shrink costs to be about even with last year. Walmart and Home Depot have also reported improved shrink numbers this year as compared to 2023.

Michael Fiddelke, serving as both chief operating and chief financial officer at Target, credited the retailer’s partnership with federal, state and local agencies as well as some of the in-store tools to protect often-stolen merchandise as reasons for the improved numbers.

“For certain, some of the tactics that we deploy within the store are paying off as well,” he said in a call with media. “But it’s going to take all of that work to continue to make the progress that we expect and hope for over the quarters and years to come.” startribune.com


Home Depot's War on ORC
The Rise of ORC & How The Home Depot is Tackling the Problem
Organized Retail Crime (ORC) is a large-scale, multi-jurisdictional operation where criminals steal merchandise from a retailer with the goal of re-selling the stolen goods - not theft for need, but theft for greed. Scott Glenn, vice president of Asset Protection at The Home Depot, explains, "It's not the average person coming in and stealing one item and walking it out the door for personal consumption. It's a well-organized orchestrated organization, not your typical opportunistic shoplifter."

According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, ORC has caused more than $125 billion in lost economic activity. It has also triggered a loss of more than 650,000 jobs, affecting retailers of all sizes.

Associate and customer safety is The Home Depot's top priority, and there are several safeguards in place. From extensive training to in-store asset protection measures, the company is focused on reducing the dangers posed by ORC. The Home Depot has also implemented new technologies to make in-store theft more difficult, and it continues to work closely with local law enforcement and federal law makers to help combat the problem.

The INFORM Consumers Act, passed in 2023, has helped prevent the sale and monetization of stolen products on the web. It requires retailers with an online marketplace to verify information about "high-volume third-party sellers," but it will take more legislation for all states to get on the same page.

"What we're advocating for now is the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA), which is a federal bill to say, first and foremost, there is a crime when you cross state lines and sell stolen products. It would also help create more resources for investigation and prosecution," Glenn said.

CORCA would not only establish a centralized place for law enforcement to share resources and collaborate but also broadens the scope of what qualifies as an offense related to ORC. It's currently in the hands of Congress. corporate.homedepot.com


Shoppers Applaud Target's Approach to Theft
Target shoppers go crazy over anti-theft ‘blitz’ at stores – they ‘love the name & shame’ and it’s coming to more chains

Target shoppers went crazy over the retailer's anti-theft 'blitz' operations as the initiative is set to impact other chains.

Customers declared they "love the name and shame" over the recent development that has resulted in the arrest of nearly two dozen suspects. Authorities in Southern California have been making efforts to crack down on recent theft from local Target stores in Simi Valley and Moorpark.

Target Corporation partnered with Ventura County Organized Retail Theft Task Force for a two-day "blitz" initiative to arrest shoplifters. Nineteen adults and three teens were arrested between August 23 and August 24, the Ventura County Sheriff's Office said.

The Task Force was created after receiving funding from the California Retail Theft Prevention Grant Program. It plans to prevent an estimated $10 million in yearly loss from organized retail theft and vehicle theft, among others, in Ventura County.

After news broke about the "blitz" organizations, Target shoppers took to social media to share their thoughts, many being in favor of the initiative.  the-sun.com


CA Lawmakers, Businesses & Law Enforcement Applaud New Retail Theft Laws
Salinas Valley, CA: Central Coast elected officials champion new retail theft laws

Historic legislation aims to protect businesses and enhance public safety

In downtown Salinas on Aug. 19 — joined by several dozen Central Coast elected officials, law enforcement leaders, business owners and local and state lawmakers — Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas championed historic new retail theft laws that will protect business owners, improve safety for shoppers and workers and hold criminals accountable.

Rivas’ package of new legislation, which was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Aug. 16, provides new tools to stop this problem. The laws create a new felony charge to target organized criminals, allows prosecutors across different counties to work together to stop thieves, and cracks down on online marketplaces that sell stolen items.

Newsom has referred to the laws as “the most significant legislation to address property crime in modern California history.” Rivas agreed, saying, “These powerful new laws give leaders the tools they need to protect hard-working business owners and keep their workers and customers safe.”  salinasvalleytribune.com


More AGs Getting Tough on ORC
Arizona AG Cracks Down on Organized Retail Theft
Attorney General Kris Mayes has made clear, through recent legal proceedings, that organized retail theft is a significant issue that has no place within Arizona's borders, reporting on a recent sentencing that exemplifies the state's firm stand on the issue. An individual named Bay Horn, tied to organized retail theft was convicted following his attempts to defraud TJ Maxx out of thousands of dollars - the scheme, which surfaced back in 2023, involved underhanded methods including the concealing of merchandise and falsifying returns. hoodline.com


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Tracking Workplace Injury Trends
OSHA Launches Severe Injury Report Dashboard

The dashboard includes all severe injuries reported by employers covered under OSHA since 2015.

On September 4, OSHA unveiled an online tool giving users the ability to search its severe injury report database and view trends related to workplace injuries occurring in states covered by federal OSHA.

The Severe Injury Report dashboard allows users to search and download data by year, industry, state, establishment name, and Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System codes. The dashboard includes information on all severe injuries reported by employers covered under federal OSHA since 2015.

Federal law requires employers to notify OSHA of a work-related in-patient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye within 24 hours of the incident. The agency’s compliance assistance specialists and on-site consultations are available across the country and in U.S. territories to help employers.

OSHA encourages workers and employers to use the dashboard to learn how severe injuries happen in their industries and use the agency’s available resources to help prevent workplace injuries.

A brief instructional video is available to demonstrate how to use the dashboard. ehstoday.com


Retailers Will Benefit from AI
AI could cause $1.6 trillion impact by 2030 — these retailers lead

Retailers stand to benefit from artificial intelligence, some more than others.

The top 207 North American public retailers and restaurants could see nearly $1.6 trillion financial impact through the end of the decade, according to the "2024 AI Readiness Index" from analyst firm IHL Group. The index provides an AI readiness score comparison (from 0-100) as well as potential financial impact for individual companies from sales growth, gross margin improvement, and sales/general administrative cost improvement.

The leaders in each retail segment covered by the index in terms of readiness score and potential benefit by 2030 are:

• E-commerce – Amazon (85.4, $353.7 billion).
• Fast moving consumer goods – Walmart (77, $264.2 billion)
• Apparel/shoes – Lululemon (highest score – 63.2), Nike (Highest potential -benefit $18.4 billion).
• Hard goods – Home depot (65, $57 billion).
• Health and beauty – CVS (63, $132.4 billion).
• Restaurant chains – Chipotle (highest score – 56.7), Starbucks (highest score – 56.7 and highest potential benefit– $9.8 billion).

"AI is already transforming the retail market behind the scenes with traditional AI/machine learning improvements," said Greg Buzek, president of IHL Group, in an email to Chain Store Age. "Generative AI simply adds to that potential financial impact, but there are wide disparities among retailers on readiness." chainstoreage.com


Stores Already Prepping for Big Holiday Shopping Season
How independent stores plan for Black Friday-Cyber Monday
Independent retailers see Black Friday-Cyber Monday as a major revenue driver.

According to a survey of independent store retailers conducted by e-commerce platform WooCommerce during summer 2024, 46% of respondents reported that up to 30% of their annual sales volume comes from Black Friday-Cyber Monday (BFCM) and the holiday season.

During BFCM and the holidays: 26% of respondents said they see 30% of their annual sales, and 8% see more than 50% of their annual sales. More than four-in-10 (44%) respondents plan to run a BFCM sale.

Respondents with annual revenues of $250,000 or more were 12% more likely to prepare in advance, and 34% of them prepared one to three months in advance. Two-in-three (66%) respondents experience a lift in sales volume over the October to December holiday shopping season.

Looking at how early respondents prepare for BFCM weekend, the survey found that:

• 26%: One-to-four weeks ahead.
• 27%: One-to-three months ahead.
• 13%: Three-to-six months ahead.
• 4%: Six or more months ahead.  chainstoreage.com


The Growing Importance of Store Design & Layout
Will Banana Republic’s New Store Design and Layout Make a Difference?
According to Forbes, as retail brands continue to grapple with balancing the transactional and experiential functions of their stores, it’s clear that effective retail design is key to “unlocking optimal consumer engagement, which can in turn favor conversion and loyalty.” The outlet noted that store layouts should facilitate “seamless navigation from product discovery to purchase” while also incorporating engaging touchpoints that enhance the overall shopping experience.

Last month, Banana Republic unveiled its newly redesigned store at Westfield Century City in Los Angeles, following a recent revamp of its flagship location in SoHo, New York. According to the Australian design studio Corso Interior Architecture, it does. “The significance of retail interior design has increased exponentially over the years,” the company explained.  retailwire.com


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