Fortress Stores: Fighting Theft, But at What Cost to Shoppers?


In an age of seamless shopping and instant convenience, many retailers are turning toward a very different model: the “fortress store.” From California to London to Melbourne, more items are being secured behind glass, tagged with GPS trackers, or placed under lock and key. Everyday essentials like deodorant, baby formula, and coffee are now as protected as luxury handbags once were.

The rise of fortress stores reflects a global surge in retail theft and aggression. However, it also raises a difficult question: are we compromising the shopping experience for the sake of safeguarding stores?

A Global Crime Crisis

The numbers tell a troubling story. In Australia, retail theft surged to a 21-year high in 2024, with 268,666 theft cases and losses topping $7.79 billion. In the U.S., shoplifting incidents in California rose nearly 14% in 2024, marking a 47.5% increase since 2019, even as other property crimes declined. Crackdowns on organized retail crime (ORC) recovered more than $8 million in stolen goods this year alone.

Meanwhile, in the UK, police reported a 20% rise in shoplifting offenses in the year ending March 2025. Across regions, aggression toward frontline staff has reached alarming levels. 73% of U.S. retailers say offenders are more violent, with employees facing daily threats and physical assaults.

Why Theft Is Growing More Complex

Retail theft today goes far beyond opportunistic shoplifters. Retailers are battling more sophisticated threats:

  • Organized crime rings target high-value goods for resale on online marketplaces.
  • Everyday essentials from baby formula to skincare are prime targets due to their high resale value.
  • Economic pressure linked to the cost-of-living crisis is fueling demand for stolen goods.
  • Aggression triggers like locked displays and staff interventions often escalate tensions, putting workers at greater risk.

The Cost to Customers and Retailers

But the trade-offs are significant. Fortress stores come at a price for both shoppers and staff:

  • Customer frustration: Shoppers now wait an average of 7.7 minutes for locked items. A 2025 study found that 27% will switch retailers or abandon purchases altogether when faced with barriers.
  • Lost sales: Walgreens’ CEO admitted in early 2025 that locking items hurt sales, as customers walked away instead of waiting.
  • Staff strain: Employees act as both service providers and security personnel, leading to stress and burnout.
  • Erosion of trust: Facial recognition and AI surveillance raise privacy concerns. In Australia, one retailer was found in breach of privacy laws after using such technologies.

Shoppers, too, are voicing their discontent. Surveys and online forums describe locked shelves as inconvenient and dehumanizing. Many say they feel treated as suspects, prompting them to take their business elsewhere or simply go online.

A Balancing Act

“Fortress stores” may be effective in reducing shrinkage today, but they are not a long-term vision for the retail industry. They create friction, frustrate loyal shoppers, and risk pushing more people toward e-commerce alternatives. The industry’s challenge now is to find equilibrium: safeguarding employees and assets while ensuring shopping remains convenient, human, and enjoyable.

The path forward lies in combining the best of human-centered strategies and advanced technologies, creating stores that are both safe and welcoming. Because while fortress stores may fight theft, they shouldn’t redefine what it means to shop.

References

Fedele D., https://theconversation.com/fortress-stores-can-fight-theft-but-is-it-how-we-want-to-shop-264505

LAO, https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5055

Lofstrom M., https://www.ppic.org/blog/overall-crime-in-california-fell-last-year-but-shoplifting-continued-to-rise/

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