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RFID vs. ORC
How RFID Technology Can Help Retailers Fight Organized Retail Crime

By the D&D Daily staff

Organized retail crime (ORC) is a growing threat to businesses, costing retailers billions of dollars each year. Criminal groups target high-value items, using sophisticated tactics to steal and resell merchandise. As traditional security measures struggle to keep up, retailers are turning to advanced technologies like Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) to combat theft and protect their inventory.

How RFID Works in Retail

RFID technology uses small tags embedded with microchips that transmit data to RFID readers via radio waves. Unlike barcodes, RFID does not require direct line-of-sight scanning, allowing retailers to track inventory in real time. This enables better stock management, loss prevention, and quicker detection of theft.

Ways RFID Helps Combat ORC

1. Real-Time Inventory Tracking: RFID allows retailers to monitor stock movements throughout their stores and supply chains. If large quantities of high-value goods are suddenly removed or moved to unauthorized areas, retailers can receive instant alerts, making it easier to respond to theft attempts before criminals leave the premises.

2. Enhanced Loss Prevention: RFID-equipped security gates can detect stolen merchandise at exit points, triggering alarms when tagged items pass through without being properly deactivated. This is especially useful against "sweep thefts," where ORC groups quickly clear shelves of valuable items.

3. Supply Chain Security: ORC doesn’t just happen in stores—it also affects warehouses and distribution centers. RFID can track merchandise from supplier to store, ensuring that products aren’t being stolen or diverted before reaching shelves. If discrepancies arise, retailers can pinpoint where losses are occurring.

4. Data-Driven Crime Analysis: RFID systems generate detailed data on theft patterns, helping retailers identify trends in when and where ORC incidents occur. This information can be shared with law enforcement to build stronger cases against organized crime groups.

5. Integration with AI and Video Surveillance: Many retailers integrate RFID with AI-powered security cameras and analytics software. If an RFID system detects suspicious activity—such as an unusually high number of tagged items being removed at once—cameras can be automatically triggered to capture footage, helping with investigations and evidence collection.

A Smarter Approach to Retail Security

RFID technology is proving to be a game-changer in the fight against organized retail crime. By improving inventory visibility, strengthening loss prevention efforts, and providing real-time insights, RFID helps retailers stay ahead of criminals. As ORC tactics continue to evolve, investing in RFID solutions can give businesses the upper hand in protecting their products, profits, and customers.


Retail Crime Forum in Canada
‘It’s really bad’: Vancouver forum on fighting retail crime draws hundreds
Hundreds of representatives from the business sector, law enforcement and government across the country gathered in Vancouver on Thursday for a forum focused on retail crime. The event came amid a growing focus on organized retail theft and incidents that have increasingly resulted in violence.

Vancouver police say shoplifting reports have increased by 12 per cent year-over-year, with nearly a third of all incidents happening in the city’s downtown core. Police argue the problem is actually far worse, with many incidents of retail crime going unreported.

Among the retailers at the forum was London Drugs, which has recently said it could close its store in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside due to crime when its lease expires. General manager of loss prevention Tony Hunt said some of the company’s stores have seen losses double in the last four years.

The company has particularly noticed an increase in larger-scale theft, with people taking multiples of a single item.

Vancouver police have spent more than 100 days on multiple waves of a shoplifting crackdown called “Project Barcode” in recent years. They’re now instigating a new retail crime task force which will focus on lower and mid-level organized crime.

B.C.’s provincial budget also laid out plans to launch a new pilot program dubbed the Community Safety and Targeted Enforcement Program aimed at targeting robbery, shoplifting, theft and property damage — part of a $325 million package focused on crime and public safety.

Rui Rodrigues, executive adviser of loss prevention and risk management at the Retail Council of Canada, meanwhile, said changes are needed to the justice system to ensure prolific and repeat offenders are treated as more than just petty criminals. globalnews.ca

   RELATED: VPD holds forum for 200 retailers, aim to enhance crime reporting


Local PDs Fight Shoplifting Surge
Midlands retailers tackle rising shoplifting rates
In Lexington, S.C., the data is reflected in local crime reports. Data from the Lexington Police Department shows that the monthly average of shoplifting cases climbed from 9.5 in 2022 to 13 in 2023 and 18.5 in 2024.

Some shoplifters are first-time offenders, while many are part of organized retail crime rings. Those groups target high-value items like electronics and beauty products. The crime rings operate strategically.

Law enforcement is collaborating with other entities to prevent theft before it happens. “We have investigators that are a part of different coalitions, and investigator groups where they can try to share information, to try to identify people that are involved, especially when it comes to these organized crime rings,” Mortenson said.

On top of those efforts, businesses must balance deterrence with customer experience. “When I train my staff, we impress upon everyone the importance of customer service,” said Jen McAllister, co-owner of Loose Lucy’s in Columbia’s Five Points. “You’re helping the 99% of your customers who are really just out shopping and are honest. … But it also is two birds with one stone, because a shoplifter doesn’t want your customer service.”

Some larger businesses may rely more heavily on technology to discourage shoplifters, such as security cameras and anti-theft tags. But for small businesses, such solutions can be costly. carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu


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Retail DEI Boycott Begins
40-Day Target boycott starts over DEI backtracking. Why Amazon, Walmart boycotts are next

A 40-day boycott against Target began March 5, 2025 and is expected to last until April 17, 2025.

Some Target stores might see fewer shoppers in March and April from customers upset over major corporations who have backtracked on their DEI or diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

A 40-day boycott against Target kicked off Wednesday after a nationwide 24-hour economic blackout. More boycotts are planned against Amazon and Walmart in the coming days.

The consumer spending pause, led by Atlanta Pastor Jamal Bryant, encourages shoppers to refrain from purchasing anything from Target during the "40-day fast" to coincide with the start of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting and prayer leading up to Easter.

Bryant named several major retailers — Walmart, McDonald's and Amazon — who have rolled back DEI policies but said they chose to Target in part because it's headquartered in Minneapolis, the same city where police officers killed George Floyd. indystar.com


Trump Backs Down On Tariffs Against Canada, Mexico
Trump pauses tariffs on most Mexican and Canadian goods

Thanks to revamped locations and gains at Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury, though, the department store continues its turnaround with some strength.

President Donald Trump signed executive actions today that says that there will be a nearly one-month tariff delay on all products from Mexico and Canada that are covered by the USMCA free trade treaty.

The USMCA is the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, negotiated by Trump during his first term, that makes the three North American countries a free trade zone.

Trump had previously announced a pause on the tariffs for all products from Mexico that are covered by the USMCA free trade treaty, but Thursday’s executive order adds Canada to the delay as well.

It’s a move that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick previewed earlier in the day, when he said that the president was likely announce later in the day a one-month delay on all Canadian tariffs. cnn.com


The Tariff Impacts Will Still Be Felt
Canadians Reduce U.S. Purchases Amid Rising Trade Tensions
Amid escalating trade tensions between Canada and the United States, a new survey reveals that Canadian consumers are making significant shifts in their shopping habits. The latest Trump Tariffs Tracking Report from Leger indicates that two-thirds of Canadians have actively reduced purchases of American-made products, both in-store (67%) and online (63%), in response to tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration.

Furthermore, 70% of Canadians report increasing their purchases of locally made Canadian goods, signaling a surge in economic nationalism as consumers aim to counter the impact of tariffs on imports.

The report highlights that 28% of Canadians now consider U.S. tariffs and trade-related issues the most important challenge facing the country, surpassing concerns about inflation (21%), healthcare (11%), and housing affordability (11%). This reflects the growing anxiety over economic repercussions tied to cross-border trade. retail-insider.com

   RELATED: Loblaw CEO Per Bank Outlines Strategy to Tackle U.S. Tariffs


Fallout from Kroger CEO's Resignation
Is Rodney McMullen’s Exit Another Blow for Kroger?
In what could be further repercussions from its failed merger with Albertsons, The Kroger Co. announced on March 3 that CEO and chairman Rodney McMullen has resigned due to “personal conduct” issues.

Kroger, one of the largest U.S. grocers, said its board became aware of “certain personal conduct” by McMullen on Feb. 21. While the investigation by outside counsel found the conduct was “unrelated to the business” and did not involve Kroger workers, it still “was inconsistent with Kroger’s Policy on Business Ethics.”

Ronald Sargent, Kroger’s lead director since 2017 and a board member since 2006, was appointed interim CEO and chairman as a search for a new CEO ensues. Sargent, who formerly led Staples, said in a statement, “As interim CEO, I am committed to working alongside our proven and experienced management team and dedicated associates to ensure Kroger continues providing exceptional value for our customers.” retailwire.com


$24B Walgreens Deal
Walgreens is going private in an up to $24 billion deal
Walgreens Boots Alliance is being taken private in a deal valued up to $23.7 billion, following a largely disastrous run on the public markets where its market cap has lost billions and more than 10% of its locations have closed.

It brings an end to nearly 100 years as a publicly traded company. After opening its 100th store in Chicago, Walgreens went public the following year in 1927.

Similar to rivals CVS and Rite Aid, Walgreens has closed hundreds of stores and struggled with declining prescription reimbursements in recent years, sending its value plummeting to just around $9.5 billion from $100 billion a decade ago. cnn.com


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Innovative Solutions Needed to Maintain Strong Security Posture
Why multi-cloud security needs a fresh approach to stay resilient
As enterprises expand their multi-cloud strategies to drive agility and scalability, CISOs must prioritize cyber resilience across diverse cloud platforms. The complexities of securing multi-cloud environments demand innovative solutions to maintain a strong security posture.

“Many organizations in regulated industries face significant security and compliance challenges, especially as they navigate the complexities of hybrid and multi-cloud adoption. A critical yet often-overlooked factor in this evolution is the network or “glue” that interconnects disparate workloads, which plays a key role in overall resiliency. To address this, it’s essential to prioritize highly secure, scalable, and redundant multi-cloud connectivity solutions that support operational needs without adding unnecessary vendors, implementation time, complexity, or security risks to IT environments,” Mike Fuhrman, CEO of Omega Systems, told Help Net Security.

Building a resilient multi-cloud security approach

Managing security across multiple cloud service providers (CSPs) introduces policy inconsistencies, visibility gaps, and expanded attack surfaces. Variability in security controls, configurations, and compliance standards across CSPs complicates efforts to maintain a resilient security posture. Furthermore, the nature of cloud environments necessitates continuous monitoring and adaptive threat detection to mitigate risks in real-time.

To address these challenges, organizations are adopting several strategies:

1. Unified Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM)
2. Zero trust architecture
3. Cloud-native security solutions
4. Continuous security validation
5. Leveraging AI and automation helpnetsecurity.com


IT Vendors Facing More Attacks Than Ever
Cyberattacks targeting IT vendors intensify, causing bigger losses

Ransomware criminals are on the hunt for prime targets that can yield bigger payouts, according to cyber risk management firm Resilience.

Cyberattacks targeting third-party vendors are causing more financial damage than ever before, cyber risk management firm Resilience said in a recent report.

Nearly a quarter (23%) of cyber insurance claims filed with Resilience last year involved material losses resulting from a third-party breach, according to the analysis. It’s a first for the company, which hasn’t previously observed customer claims with material losses in the third-party risk category.

“Many of the vendor-related incidents from 2024 resulted in some sort of pause on our customers’ ability to conduct business and, as a result, had a much larger financial impact,” Ann Irvine, chief data and analytics officer at Resilience, said via email.

Increasingly, threat actors have focused their energies on exploiting a single point of failure in one company to “create a cascading effect of disruption and chaos downstream,” Resilience said in a press release on the research findings.

The global average cost of a data breach in 2024 was nearly $4.9 million, according to IBM research. But the year saw some incidents that were far more costly. cybersecuritydive.com


How to prevent data leakage in collaboration tools like Slack and Teams
In recent years, collaboration tools have become an absolute necessity for remote and hybrid work. This primarily increased during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the impossibility of communicating in person. So, tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom surged in popularity, enabling employees to stay connected despite physical distances.

But this sudden transition to online communication opened up many questions related to security because the vast majority of employees were accessing sensitive information from home networks, opening the door to potential data leaks. helpnetsecurity.com


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