Weaving Radio-Emitting Threads Into Clothing to Stop Theft
Retailers Weigh Putting Radio-Emitting Threads Into Clothes to Curb Thefts

A conductive ink that emits radio signals is drawing interest from merchants like Zara, eager to outsmart thieves.

To stop shoplifting, merchants have tried everything from adding more guards and cameras to placing products under lock and key to deploying new security tags attached to garments. Still, theft—which can be due to both outsiders and employees—resulted in an estimated $73 billion in lost sales for retailers in the US alone in 2022, according to the latest survey released by the National Retail Federation. In the UK, losses from store thefts doubled in 2023, to £3.3 billion ($4.3 billion), from the previous year, according to the British Retail Consortium.

Now retailers are considering something new: weaving radio-emitting threads into some clothing, turning the garments themselves into anti-theft devices.

Zara owner Inditex SA, the world’s biggest publicly held clothing retailer, is among those who have studied the change. The retail giant in Arteixo, Spain, has talked with a small Spanish technology company, Myruns, and telecommunications operator Telefónica SA about the possible application of a system based on an anti-theft alarm product so thin it’s imperceptible to the naked eye, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named discussing private information. An Inditex spokesman says the company does not plan to carry out in-store tests of the technology.

Retailers around the world are grappling with ways to cut losses from so-called inventory shrink, which drew global attention in the years after the pandemic when companies blamed rampant theft for disappointing sales, and videos of “smash and grab” incidents of flash mobs storming stores went viral.

The technology from Myruns, in San Sebastian, Spain, may be just one of the efforts to curb thefts that have been studied by Inditex, which declined to comment on specific projects. Myruns’ product, which one of the people says is five times thinner than a human hair, or about a thousandth of an inch, uses a conductive ink derived from cellulose to transmit signals. It can set off alarms if someone walks out of a shop with items whose woven-in tags haven’t been deactivated, according to the people. The novel ink replaces aluminum, the main material used in most alarms. That would mean retailers wouldn’t need to rely on the metal for alarms, making the devices potentially biodegradable and supporting the garments’ recyclability. bloomberg.com


U.S. Retailers Have Holiday Safety Fears
Understaffing, lack of anti-theft technology leading to worker fear about holidays
With retail crime rising in recent years, many U.S. retail workers are apprehensive about the holiday shopping season.

According to Motorola Solutions’ second-annual U.S. Retail Worker Safety Report, a majority of American retail workers (57%) report feeling unsafe going into the peak holiday shopping season. Many retail managers and staff surveyed said they have experienced increases in various forms of crime in their stores in the past year, with petty theft (66%), grab and runs (48%) and hostile customer interactions (46%) being reported by many. One-in-10 retail workers surveyed also said they have experienced physical attacks from customers.

Motorola Solutions’ data shows that over 65% of retail workers said they expect to be understaffed this holiday season, which will impact how safe they feel going into peak shopping. More than two-thirds of respondents (68%) who expect their stores to be understaffed said they don't feel safe because of it, and 50% said they are concerned for the safety of their shoppers.

The survey also found that retailers are making more calls to first responders. More than 20% of those surveyed said public safety personnel such as police, EMS and fire are being called to their stores at least once per week, an increase of 16% over 2023. Emergency personnel are called to stores two-to-three times per month for 17% of respondents.

In terms of solutions for retail crime, respondents pointed to access control systems (35%), license plate readers (32%), panic buttons (32%) and body cameras (20%) as measures that make them feel safer. However, few retail workers reported having those security measures in place. Of those surveyed, 12% said they have access control systems, 9% have panic buttons, 7% have license plate readers and 6% are using body cameras. A majority of respondents said that their stores have more traditional security systems in place, such as video security systems (79%) and alarm systems (59%). chainstoreage.com


56% of UK Retailer Workers Witnessed Theft
U.K. Retail Workers Cite Increased Safety Concerns Ahead of Holiday Shopping Season as One in Four Consider Quitting their Job

Independent report from Motorola Solutions reveals retail workers’ desires for enhanced safety and security measures to help keep them safer at work

Motorola Solutions released a U.K. Retail Worker Safety Report based on a YouGov survey of over 1,000 retail workers, highlighting significant safety concerns ahead of the holiday season. The survey reveals that 56% of workers witnessed petty theft, 31% encountered organized crime rings, and 50% experienced hostile customer interactions in the past year.

Four in ten workers express concern for their personal safety during the festive shopping season, with almost half feeling less safe during evening shifts. The report emphasizes the role of technology in enhancing safety, with 28% of workers favoring panic buttons, while 70% believe body cameras effectively de-escalate dangerous situations.

Retail workers in the U.K. are increasingly becoming the victims of violent crime and are concerned for their personal safety during the holiday shopping season, according to Motorola Solutions’ U.K. Retail Worker Safety Report. The survey of over 1,000 retail workers sheds further light on the extent to which theft, organised crime and in-store violence are occurring on the country’s high streets.

Market research company YouGov conducted the U.K. survey in October 2024 to gauge retail workers’ perspectives about safety and workplace security measures. The results show that security technologies - panic buttons that help workers notify colleagues for backup and systems that allow them to quickly connect with supervisors, lock doors and review real-time video of unfolding incidents - make people feel safer at work. Similar independent surveys were conducted in the U.S. and in Australia and New Zealand, countries also dealing with high retail crime rates.  stocktitan.net
 

Butte County, Calif. overwhelmingly supports Prop 36 to toughen penalties on crime

New Haven, CT: Police launch task force to address surging auto theft
 

Retail Job Additions Plummet Despite Seasonal Surge
October retail hiring hit a low not seen since before the pandemic

Actual seasonal job gains may fall below 2023 numbers but slightly surpass 2022 numbers, analysis from Challenger, Gray & Christmas indicates.

Although seasonal hiring announcements for retail and transportation reached the highest levels since 2021, actual job additions for both sectors in October dropped to the lowest point since before the pandemic, according to a Nov. 7 report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.

Based on nonseasonally adjusted data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the firm reported that retailers added 124,700 jobs, marking the lowest October total since 2018. Transportation and warehousing added 61,300 jobs, or the lowest number since 2019.

Although employers announced plans to hire 659,850 seasonal workers, Challenger predicted that actual seasonal job gains for retail will fall below the 2023 total of 564,200. Overall, retailers will likely add about 520,000 new jobs, the firm said. This will slightly surpass the 509,300 jobs added in the final quarter of 2022, but mark the second-lowest total since 2009.

Total nonfarm payroll only rose by 12,000 jobs in October, but economists cautioned against panic and remained optimistic, citing temporary disruptions such as hurricanes and strikes. Generally, the market is still angled for a “soft landing” for the rest of 2024, they said.

Job seekers are showing increased interest in part-time seasonal work in 2024, especially in retail, according to an iCIMS report. Many job candidates want a part-time role, with nearly three-quarters saying they’d prefer it over full-time seasonal work. retaildive.com
 

Largest Year-Over-Year Total Retail Sales Surge Since Nov. 2023
Retail sales stage comeback in October
Retail sales bounced back strongly in October as the economy remained in good shape and consumers moved past concerns about a port strike and other issues that put a crimp in September’s sales.

That’s according to the National Retail Federation, whose CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor powered by Affinity Solutions showed that core retail sales (excluding restaurants, automobiles dealers and gasoline stations) rose 0.83% month-over-month in October and up 4.59% year-over-year. That compared to a decrease of 0.28% month-over-month and an increase of 0.94% year-over-year in September.

Total retail sales (including restaurants but excluding automobiles and gasoline) were up 0.74% month-over-month and up 4.13% unadjusted year-over-year in October, according to the Retail Monitor. That compared to a decrease of 0.32% month-over-month and an increase of 0.55% year-over-year in September, when shoppers showed caution due to geopolitical tensions, a strike at East and Gulf Coast ports and the end of student loan relief programs.

The year-over-year increase for total sales was the largest since 4.24% in November 2023 while the year-over-year increase for core sales was the largest since 4.76% in August 2023, NRF noted. Total sales were up 2.13% year-over-year for the first 10 months of 2024, and core sales were up 2.42%. chainstoreage.com

 
ISCPO Announces Verdugo Transportation Security Consultants (VTSC) as a Preferred Vendor Partner

ISCPO Welcomes VTSC as Preferred Vendor Partner to Further Boost Supply Chain Security

Dallas, TX (November 11, 2024) – Today, the International Supply Chain Protection Organization (ISCPO) proudly announces the exciting addition of Verdugo Transportation Security Consultants (VTSC) as a preferred vendor partner. With the increasing risk of cargo theft, ISCPO members rely on various vendors to provide layers of security. Driven by its commitment to continuous improvement, ISCPO is dedicated to expanding its array of vendor solutions, harnessing proven products, and staying at the forefront of industry best practices. This international partnership with VTSC as a preferred vendor helps our members reduce cargo theft and pilferage, protect brand reputation and limit supply chain interruptions. iscpo.org
 

Report: Thanksgiving costs to increase nearly 20%
 
BJ's names new operations, supply chain leaders