The Co-op has introduced 200 secure till kiosks and artificial intelligence (AI) software to monitor self-checkouts. This follows a significant rise in retail crime, with 336,270 incidents of shoplifting, abuse, violence and antisocial behaviour across Co-op’s 2,400 stores during 2023 (a 44% YOY increase).
The Co-op had previously spent £200 million on security measures, including additional guards and a roving undercover team targeting crime hotspots, but has now introduced reinforced till kiosks with secure doors and locked cabinets for bottles of spirits. The retailer says it has no plans to use facial recognition systems yet.
