M&S chairman blames self-checkouts for middle class turning to shoplifting

Faulty self-checkout machines are causing the middle classes to turn to shoplifting, claims M&S chair Archie Norman.

The retail leader told LBC’s Money with David Buik and Michael Wilson: “With the reduction of service you get in a lot of shops, a lot of people think: ‘This didn’t scan properly, or it’s very difficult to scan these things through and I shop here all the time. It’s not my fault, I’m owed it’.”

Norman added that M&S stores faced a different type of shoplifter to other retailers as they were not “as attractive” for shoplifting gangs, whose preferences lie in branded products. In comparison to other leading supermarkets, the upmarket high street retailer sells more own-brand products, including alcohol and own beauty products.

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Norman’s comments come amid UK retailers implementing various tactics in an attempt to tackle the rise in shoplifting.

Aldi recently offered its staff body camera to tackle the epidemic, the Co-op has employed ‘undercover guards’, while Waitrose has trained its staff to spot customers trying to dupe the tills by scanning cheaper items.

Referring to Sainsbury’s and Morrisons – which have introduced additional security gates near their self-scan tills – Norman said M&S would not be adopting such measures, arguing that it was turning shops into “prison camps”.

“Our approach is to be open and welcome. We do little things like make sure the steak is positioned in the right place so people can keep an eye on it,” he concluded.