Primark has forced a change at its checkouts to stop shoplifters after thefts soared
PRIMARK is sealing customers’ tote bags with giant ‘sold’ stickers to deter shoplifters.
Thieves took the chain’s paper bags into stores, filled them and simply walked out.
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Now the blue labels, with the logo and the word “Sold” in different languages, are placed on the handles of the bags at checkout.
It means customers have to break the seals to access their purchased items, making the bags much harder to reuse.
Any stickerless customers will be stopped at the door.
An employee at a south-east London branch who tried out the stickers said: “The thieves put everything that didn’t have a tag on it and didn’t set off any alarms.
“They were able to blend in with the customers because you can only get bags at the checkout. It was very difficult for the guards to see.”
Last year, 1,000 shoplifting incidents were reported every day across stores in England and Wales, with Primark boss George Weston saying the problem needs to be taken more seriously.
Primark said: “Antisocial behavior and crime are on the rise and we are working with retailers and organizations to tackle this.
“We are now also trialling new measures to help prevent stock loss, including sealing bags with ‘Sold’ stickers once a customer pays for their items at the checkout.”
“We are keeping an eye on this and monitoring the impact of these new measures.”
How to save money at Primark
PRIMARK is a bargain favorite on the high street, but there are more ways to cut your spend.
Secret sales
Primark fans always know to dive into the bargain world when looking for discount products in store, but there could be ‘secret’ sale items lurking throughout the rest of the store and all year round.
Larger flagship stores in particular will always have an influx of inventory, so as new items arrive, older products taking up space can be heavily discounted.
Ask about discounts
Don’t be afraid to ask outright for discounts. The worst staff can say no.
If you pick up an item with a defect or a foundation mark or something similar, you can usually simply ask for a discount – just explain that it’s not quite right.
Ex-Primark employees have revealed to The Sun in the past that it can be quite common for branches to offer a 10% discount on a damaged or defective item.
Look for dupes
Primark’s budget clothing is an inexpensive way to refresh your wardrobe with many items from the exclusive range.
But the store can be a great place to look for a cheaper version of something you’ve seen elsewhere.
Fans have spotted many items from the retailer that bear a striking resemblance to other higher-priced products on the market.
Buy a cheaper dupe and your friends might not even be able to tell the difference.
Website trick
Primark launched a new website in April 2022, allowing shoppers to check stock levels in their local stores for the first time.
This means you can shop around online and ensure you go to a branch that has the style and size you need.
There are also thousands of products now listed on the website, giving you a closer look at the current collections.
Last month, Primark announced its plans to open new branches and invest and renovate more than a dozen existing stores.
The plans are part of the new £75 million investment in the UK shopping complex.
Primark previously announced that new stores will be popping up in Bury St Edmund, Teesside Park and Glasgow Fort, with opening dates finally confirmed.
The retailer has also continued to roll out self-service checkouts in a number of stores to help reduce queues.
They were first rolled out at locations in Sheffield, Northampton, West Bromwich and Kingston as part of a trial.
We tried out Primark’s new self-service checkouts – shoppers will love it, but if you don’t bring your receipt you could get caught.