Maine Could Soon See Toothpaste Locked Up in Stores

Theft has been a problem for store owners since the beginning of human history.  People selling their wares in the markets of ancient Rome had to keep an eye out for thieves, the same was true for colonial shopkeepers in Boston, and it's true today.

Even though theft from stores has been an issue for thousands of years, it feels like it has gotten worse in the last few years.  This is partly due to societal shifts and partially because inflation is driving the cost of everything through the roof.

What are thieves stealing?

Thieves often steal small, easy-to-conceal, items.  According to an article from CNN, cosmetics, toothpaste, and similar toiletry items are some of the most stolen items.  As a result, many retailers are doing all they can to limit the theft of these items.

Even though it is not that common in Maine, yet, we could soon see most common personal care items in locking display cases.  Many Maine stores already lock up pricier personal care items, like razor blades and fragrances.  It would not be a big stretch to see this happen with other, cheaper, personal care items.

One of the things keeping retailers from locking up almost every small item is the fact that locking items up causes a drop in sales.  CNN reports that when these smaller items are locked up, there is a 20% in purchases of those items.  It makes sense, though.  Nobody has time to wait around for a clerk to unlock a case so that you can get a $4 tube of toothpaste or a $5 bottle of body wash.

A High-Tech Solution

One company may have a solution to the problem.

A company called Indyme has created what they call the Freedom Case.  It is a locked display case where you can use your phone to unlock to retrieve the products you want to purchase.  If you don't want to use your phone to open the case, you can also use the case to summon a store employee.

Of course, some retailers may decide that the cost of these high-tech display cases are not worth it.  In that case, we are likely to see them continue to rely on store employees to open those cases.

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