Self-checkouts are back in the spotlight this week following revelations that six million Brits are using them for theft. According to a poll of 1,099 people by Ipsos, one in eight shoppers exploits a loophole, known as the ‘banana trick,’ by entering more expensive items as cheaper fruits or vegetables to reduce their cost.
Additionally, eight percent of respondents admitted to stealing items valued up to £10, while thirteen percent confessed to taking items worth £1 or less without paying.
Shoplifting has reached a record high, with 443,995 offences reported in the past year and retailers estimating an annual loss of £1.8 billion due to theft. Consequently, shops have had to invest an additional £700 million in security measures. The surge in self-checkout tills—up 50 percent from 53,000 to 80,000 in the UK—has been cited as a contributing factor to this increase in theft.
