Blocks of cheese on sale in a supermarket for £2.50 have been locked in secure cases to prevent shoplifting amid the cost of living crisis. Other products - including meat items - are also being put in plastic cassettes which have to be opened by cashiers in the Co-op, reports StokeonTrentLive.
A warning on the cassettes states: "Caution. Security device must be removed at the checkout before leaving the store."
Citizens Advice chief executive Simon Harris said: "We are seeing increasing numbers, who are really struggling to meet their basic day-to-day living costs. With the increases in fuel prices, council tax, rent and so on - it’s squeezing household budgets beyond reasonable levels and I think people may find themselves having to resort to extreme measures just in order to survive.
