Retail Resilience: Protecting Associates, Preventing Pilferage

In today’s retail world, the increase in violence from theft highlights the need for stores to adopt new strategies to keep their employees safe and improve operations. Non-confrontation policies are essential as they help protect staff in an environment where thieves are becoming bolder, often attempting to steal large amounts of merchandise. These policies are critical in creating ways to ensure employee safety, but as the shoplifting problem worsens, the situation necessitates a shift towards strategies that deter theft without placing employees in potentially dangerous confrontations.

Technologies like Gatekeeper Systems’ Purchek® solution are at the forefront of this shift, offering a loss prevention approach that prioritizes associate safety above all. The Purchek® system is a non-confrontational, technology-driven approach that addresses the challenge of pushout theft head-on. The system employs proprietary sensors, AI-enabled video, and data analytics to monitor shopping carts within the store. If a cart attempts to exit the store without proper authorization from a point-of-sale location, the system automatically disables the cart, sounds an alarm, and triggers a video of the event. This innovative method, where the cart itself interrupts the attempted theft, prevents the need for employees to physically intervene, thereby significantly reducing the risk of engaging in potentially dangerous situations.

The Purchek® solution exemplifies how leveraging technology can serve dual purposes: enhancing employee safety and streamlining retail operations. This innovative approach not only mitigates the risk of violent confrontations but also signals to employees that their safety is of utmost importance. Such strategic deployment of technology underscores a commitment to creating a secure working environment, fostering a culture of safety that transcends mere loss prevention.