Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

In some UK stores, chocolate products are now being placed in special locked plastic boxes to prevent theft, according to retailers and local police, AzerNEWS reports.

Supermarkets report that chocolate has become a frequent target for shoplifters. The Sainsbury's recently announced it is rolling out protective boxes for its most commonly stolen items. In one London branch, popular Cadbury's Dairy Milk bars, priced at £2.60, are now displayed in locked containers.

According to the British Association of Small Shops, thieves often steal chocolate products to resell them later, highlighting a growing trend of opportunistic retail crime.

In recent months, some police departments have shared video footage of the thefts to raise public awareness. West Midlands Police posted a video showing a man stealing multiple boxes of chocolate from a store in Stourbridge, while Wiltshire Police released footage of a man pulling an entire shelf of chocolates from a shop.

Authorities note that chocolate is not the only target. Other frequently stolen goods include alcoholic beverages, meat products, and coffee, reflecting a wider pattern of retail theft affecting everyday consumer goods.

Retail analysts suggest that while protective packaging may help reduce losses, it also highlights the growing pressures on UK retailers from shoplifting, supply chain costs, and rising prices — and could lead to more creative security measures in the future, such as smart tags, in-store monitoring, or even AI-powered theft detection.