AP's Growing Role Beyond Shrink
Retail Asset Protection's Expanding Role in Store Operations

By the D&D Daily staff

Retail loss prevention and asset protection teams are increasingly being asked to look beyond traditional loss prevention responsibilities and contribute to broader operational performance, employee safety and the customer experience.

As retailers navigate rising operating costs, changing consumer expectations and tighter labor resources, AP professionals have an opportunity to provide valuable insights into how stores function and where everyday processes can be improved.

One area receiving greater attention is operational efficiency. Inventory discrepancies, damaged merchandise, inconsistent procedures and gaps in employee training can create financial losses that have little to do with criminal activity. Identifying these issues requires collaboration between asset protection, store operations, merchandising and supply chain teams.

Technology is also reshaping the department's responsibilities. Video analytics, inventory management systems and reporting platforms can provide greater visibility into store conditions and operational trends. However, the value of these tools depends on how effectively retailers translate information into practical improvements.

For AP leaders, that means moving beyond simply identifying problems and helping develop solutions that store employees can realistically implement.

Employee engagement is another important component. Frontline associates are often the first to notice recurring operational challenges, whether it's merchandise arriving damaged, inventory being placed incorrectly or procedures that create unnecessary delays. Encouraging employees to communicate these concerns can help retailers address small problems before they become costly.

At the same time, AP teams must balance oversight with the realities of store operations. Recommendations that look effective on paper may be difficult to execute during peak shopping periods or when staffing levels are limited.

Measuring success also requires a broader perspective. While shrink remains an important performance indicator, improvements in inventory accuracy, employee compliance, operational consistency and workplace safety can demonstrate additional value.

Ultimately, the future of retail asset protection may depend as much on its ability to strengthen everyday store operations as its traditional responsibility to protect merchandise and reduce losses.

For retailers, the opportunity is to position AP as a strategic partner that helps stores operate more efficiently, supports employees and contributes to stronger overall business performance.


Customers Overcharged at Dollar General
Dollar General accused of overcharging shoppers, settles for $1.9 million

Investigators found customers paid more than advertised prices at several Dollar General stores.

Discount chains such as Dollar General have built their business around offering everyday essentials at prices shoppers can afford. But what happens when the advertised price isn’t what customers actually pay at checkout?

A New York investigation found that Dollar General repeatedly charged customers more than advertised, sometimes by as much as 39% on individual items.

Now, the retailer has agreed to a $1.875 million settlement and major changes to its pricing practices. The discount retailer has denied any wrongdoing. However, those who were overcharged will not receive direct refunds under the new agreement.

According to the original settlement agreement, investigators reviewed 913 government price-accuracy inspections involving 287 Dollar General stores between fiscal 2021 and 2023.

They found that 43% of those inspections failed to meet the state’s requirement that stores should price at least 98% of inspected items accurately.

They also conducted an undercover investigation during which officials purchased 114 items at 11 Western New York stores. They were overcharged on 16 items, or approximately 14% of those purchases.

The four largest overcharges were 39%, 38%, 26%, and 22% above the lowest advertised prices. thestreet.com


Retailers Pull Out All The Stops To Attract Workers
UK: Retail leads the way on paternity leave as government urged to improve offer

M&S and Tesco are among employers offering six weeks, highlighting gap with construction and agriculture

Being able to take six weeks’ paid paternity leave, flexibly, made a huge difference to me and my family, giving me the time to support my partner and settle into being a new parent,” said Marks & Spencer employee Joe Erskine.

The food and clothing retailer increased its paternity leave offering from two to six weeks at full pay in 2024, meaning Erskine benefited from the new policy when his second child was born 17 months ago.

M&S and Tesco are among the retailers leading the way in offering enhanced paternity leave to their staff, new research has shown, highlighting the widening gap between the more family-friendly policies offered to new fathers working in the retail sector compared with those in construction, manufacturing and agriculture.

Privately owned companies Ikea, Lego and Virgin Media O2 now also offer more weeks of fully paid leave to new fathers.

The enhanced paternity leave offered by retailers including Asda, Waitrose and Lidl in recent years means that just five employers are responsible for upgrading parental leave for nearly 650,000 workers. theguardian.com


Psychological Safety:
The Overlooked Risk in Workplace AI Adoption

Psychological safety enables employees to question AI outputs and speak up without fear, reducing risks and improving decision quality.

As AI becomes more embedded in everyday work, organizations are rightly focused on data security, privacy and responsible use. But AI adoption is also changing how employees work, make decisions and assess their own roles. That human impact introduces another risk that deserves greater attention: psychological safety and employees’ ability to perform at their best.

Recent Gallup research found that while 15% of U.S. employees say they use AI daily, 30% use it a few times a week or more. As adoption grows, employees are being asked to adapt quickly, which can raise questions about job security, confidence and their willingness to speak up when something goes wrong. LRN’s 2026 Ethics and Compliance Program Effectiveness report found that 39% of organizations use AI in at least one aspect of their programs, yet fewer than half can explain how it improves outcomes. That gap can create additional risk if employees don’t feel comfortable questioning how AI is being used or speaking up when something goes wrong.

That’s where culture matters. Culture takes more than creating a code of conduct or policy to enforce and maintain an ethically sound, safe working environment for employees and the organization. Policies set expectations, but consistently reinforcing those expectations is what helps turn them into responsible behavior. ehstoday.com


Walmart debuts longer Black Friday, Cyber Monday sales events

Microsoft is offering buyouts to around 60,000 employees

CVS wants to sell more Pokémon, collectibles