Blades are a high theft item.

[Slivovitz]

Dropped by my local Walgreens yesterday. I don't usually shop there, but I'd read here that their Gem Personna SE blades are one of the few shave quality SE brands left.

I was a bit surprised to find that all the cartridges and blades were locked up, and I had to get a manager to unlock the case and take the blades over to the cash register. I asked why, and he said they're a high theft item.

I've never run into that before, not in Kmarts or groceries, or other drug stores. Wasn't really bothered, just surprised. Anyone else encountered this?

 

[rth97601]

Like pregnancy tests and condoms, I bet--small personal items that cost more than it seems they should, and are easily snagged and pocketed. Depending on the neighborhood, some grocery stores around here keep Prilosec behind glass for the same reason.

I can see blades falling into that category.

 

[Sodapopjones]

Dropped by my local Walgreens yesterday. I don't usually shop there, but I'd read here that their Gem Personna SE blades are one of the few shave quality SE brands left.

I was a bit surprised to find that all the cartridges and blades were locked up, and I had to get a manager to unlock the case and take the blades over to the cash register. I asked why, and he said they're a high theft item.

I've never run into that before, not in Kmarts or groceries, or other drug stores. Wasn't really bothered, just surprised. Anyone else encountered this?

Thank Procter & Gamble for that, its been that way at Walgreens for awhile now actually, at mine theres a red button you push for assistance.

 

[luvmysuper]

Dropped by my local Walgreens yesterday. I don't usually shop there, but I'd read here that their Gem Personna SE blades are one of the few shave quality SE brands left.

I was a bit surprised to find that all the cartridges and blades were locked up, and I had to get a manager to unlock the case and take the blades over to the cash register. I asked why, and he said they're a high theft item.

I've never run into that before, not in Kmarts or groceries, or other drug stores. Wasn't really bothered, just surprised. Anyone else encountered this?

Yep, it's the norm, not the exception. One of the high risk items for shoplifting due to the small size, high cost and almost universal appeal (eventually every guy shaves sometimes, so that's a big market)

 

[john parker]

My local Baker's Supermarket has been keeping them "locked" behind a plexiglass shield for at least six months. Lock on the plexiglass and all. But when I asked someone to open it for me, the clerk said "just lift the door up." So much for locked!! And I think my local Target also just started locking them; haven't tried to open it there yet.

 

[MichaelG]

some of the stores near me have them locked up - Walgreens, Rite-Aid, but others like Target, do not.

It's not surprising that people swipe cartridges, given how expensive they are. I'm not condoning it, of course, but you can see how dishonest people could justify swiping them - they're very small packages and are exorbitantly priced. I feel for the retailers (and customers who are inconvenienced), but the major manufacturers have priced them way out of whack of the production costs.

Dropped by my local Walgreens yesterday. I don't usually shop there, but I'd read here that their Gem Personna SE blades are one of the few shave quality SE brands left.

I was a bit surprised to find that all the cartridges and blades were locked up, and I had to get a manager to unlock the case and take the blades over to the cash register. I asked why, and he said they're a high theft item.

I've never run into that before, not in Kmarts or groceries, or other drug stores. Wasn't really bothered, just surprised. Anyone else encountered this?

 

[alejandro]

Nearly every drug store where I live has razor blade cartridges behind lock and key. I read somewhere that the most stolen drug store item was hemorrhoid cream!

Alex.

 

[PCFiend138]

cvs, heb and walgreens has had the cartridges behind glass but the de, injector, and se blades arent, at least around the 183-620 area.

 

[andyjreid]

I used to be a retail security guard and at a conference of retailers against crime they informed us that the number one most shoplifted item in the whole world was Mach 3 blades.

 

[Will P.C.]

I used to live in Manhattan a few years ago. There was this corner store below my apt. that would buy razors, tylenol, batteries, etc. from homeless people, addicts etc. that they have stolen from places like walgreens and then sell it a dollar cheaper than walgreens

 

[kap49]

A lot of these items, blades, high power anti acids, baby formulas, etc., end up in flea markets. Walgreens even puts a sticker on some of them asking you to call an 800 number if you find them for sale at other venues. It is not unusual for entire shelves to be emptied at some 24 hour stores.

 

[SUMMERSRL]

Being asked to get assistance to purchase small items seems to be a growing trend in all drug stores here in the Los Angeles area. I find it irksome given these kinds of stores seem to be universally under manned.

 

[Rufust445]

The last Rite Aid I was in had empty shelves where the Fusion cartridges would normally be, with a note saying see the clerk for these items.

Walgreens keeps them under lock and key, Kroger puts the standard packaging into a larger reusable plastic case that's harder to slip under a coat.

 

[jsrdrnr]

I've seen it around here. Sad but true.

 

[JonDC]

Around DC, cartridges have been locked up in the drug stores for a while. And I noticed that local Targets started locking them this summer.

 

[s1mp13m4n]

My local Wally's World has the Personna blades right on the top shelf, yet my Dollar General has the DG brand DE blades behind the counter and all the disposables and canned goo on the shelves.

 

[taffy]

My daughter is a police officer and the no 1 shoplifting item in the uk are gillette cartridges, and thats official!

 

[WhosYerBob]

Yeah, I was stumped by the same discovery when I first came across it, and that was years ago in this area.

 

[ateace]

I wonder if it affects sales at all. I find it to be a huge hassle to track someone down to unlock the case and I just skipped buying the blades or carts.

 

[RichGem]

Local Walgreens: "shaving system" carts are locked up. disposables, de,se, injectors out in the open.

Same for the local CVS-es.