Leading brands going for a steal

Besides the fact that they're exceptionally powerful brands, which have become entrenched in the consumer psyche of nearly all South Africans, there's one interesting anomaly they share: they get stolen at an alarming rate - contributing to the R3 billion a year shrinkage bill for South African retail.¹

I'm told that as much as one in five can get to the consumer in a 'non-traditional' way. And it's not a South African thing either – the average shrinkage from stores in Western Europe in 2001 amounted to 28,9 billion Euros – that's the total retail turnover of Norway!

Contrary to popular thought – it's not shoplifting that's responsible for the billions in shrinkage, but employee theft (with admin and vendors also being culprits). ²

People often start stealing in the first few weeks of their job (frequently taught by co-workers), and the person who is caught is either not very good or has not been accepted by the workgroup.³
According to the Retail Council of Canada, 90% of people steal – there just needs to be a suitable item to steal and the absence of a 'capable guardian'.

The reason that the strong brands listed above are at the top of the shrinkage list is quite simple – as KVIs (known value items) they're easily 'getridable'.

So, if you've been going to confession, you're not that unique I'm afraid. You're just human. Well, 90% human.
Adds new meaning to the term brand custodian.

Ref 1: ECR, www.fastmoving.co.za, Apr 2003.
Ref 2: Hollinger RC, Davis JL. University of Florida 2001 National Retail Security Survey, 2002.
Ref 3: UK Centre for Retail Research.