Taylor Swift merchandise is currently being removed from shelves in stores across Australia. The pop star recently concluded her successful Eras Tour in Australia, performing in Melbourne and Sydney. However, reports indicate that Swift's CDs, records, and merchandise are being taken down from displays in JB Hi-Fi stores, Australia’s largest home entertainment retailer.
The reason behind this removal is the increasing incidents of theft involving Swift's products in the stores. Shoplifters have been targeting Swift's merchandise, prompting the decision to no longer display them openly on shelves. Signs have been put up in the stores informing customers that all Taylor Swift items will now be sold from behind the counter.
One particular store at the Strand Arcade in Sydney's Pitt St Mall has seen its Swift section nearly emptied out, with multiple signs directing fans to request items from the counter. The signs inform customers that Taylor Swift CDs are now kept behind the counter temporarily and that they should seek assistance from staff members.
Some fans, known as Swifties, have expressed their disappointment with the situation, labeling it as unfair. One fan mentioned that it is more likely that individuals are stealing the merchandise to profit from Swift's recent tour by reselling the CDs at inflated prices. The fan emphasized the unexpected difficulty in purchasing a CD due to these circumstances.
Efforts to reach JB Hi-Fi for comment on the matter are currently underway. In a separate development, animal rights organization PETA has criticized Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce over their visit to a zoo in Sydney.
For more news updates and to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel, sign up for our weekly newsletter and engage in our news democracy by clicking the upvote icon to support articles through the indy100 rankings.