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The Conversation
The Conversation
Michael Townsley, Professor, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Griffith University

‘Fortress stores’ can fight theft – but is it how we want to shop?

Fortress Woolworths Australia Coles

“Fortress stores” with security-tagged chicken and steaks in wire security cages. GPS-tracked jars of instant coffee. Everything from toothpaste and deodorant to face creams, locked inside display cases, with buttons to call for staff.

While those examples might sound extreme, they’ve already happened for shoppers in parts of the United Kingdom and the United States.

Face creams inside a locked display cabinet at a Duane Reade pharmacy in New York, August 2023 – with a button to call for staff assistance.
Face creams locked inside a New York pharmacy cabinet, with a button to call staff. Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images
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