A practice that can cost you dearly…
Twenty years ago now, self-service checkouts appeared in French supermarkets. At the time, in 2004, a Casino and an Auchan opened the first self-service checkouts in our country. A trend straight from across the Atlantic. Since then, they have multiplied, to the point that they can now be found in almost all major retailers. In principle, they are used by customers in a hurry who have less than ten items in their basket. A considerable time saving, especially during peak hours.
But although they are practical, these machines also have some limitations for supermarkets. Indeed, some consumers are sometimes tempted not to scan their items and put them in their bag, to save money, or simply because it has “become very easy”, despite the surveillance and the presence of security guards. The number of “swiper” customers is said to be higher than we think.
According to the Dutch daily From the People’s Republic, This is a major trend that is being seen in several countries around the world. People who indulge in this practice are called “swipers”. An acronym coined by Dr Emmeline Taylor, a criminologist at City University of London, which stands for “Seemingly Well Intentioned Patrons Engaging in Regular Shoplifting”. In translation, these are “seemingly well-intentioned customers who regularly engage in shoplifting”. According to Dr Taylor, this is due to the impersonal nature of self-checkouts, which make it easy for customers to steal without getting caught.
“People who do this don’t think it’s stealing, they see it as cheating, because to them they’re paying for something and therefore getting a discount. It’s very different behaviour to going into a shop and stuffing your handbag or stuffing goods down your trousers and stealing them that way – it’s deliberate.”said Dr Emmeline Taylor. In a way, for the expert, this technology has democratized shoplifting. However, it is a real crime that is punishable by three years in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros.