Waitrose will begin locking bottles of champagne in new ‘smart cabinets’ in the latest bid from supermarkets to stop the shoplifting epidemic plaguing Britain’s highstreets.
A spokesperson for the supermarket said it is ‘currently investing in a range of advanced technology, including smart technology, to deter theft’.
As part of this new tech-based anti-theft investment, the retailer is ‘planning pilot lockable smart cabinets for areas such as spirits and champagne soon’.
‘We already use smart shelf technology in our health, beauty and spirits aisles, which are able to sense unusual customer behaviour, so this would provide an additional layer of security,’ the spokesperson added.
It has been reported the supermarket is also trialling ‘meat nets’ to deter thieves.
Waitrose have not yet specified exactly how their smart cabinets will work, but self-locking cabinets used by other supermarkets usually require customers to use a touchpad screen to open them.
Smart cabinets tested by Sainsbury’s required customers to progress through four different steps to unlock the doors and grab the item they want to buy.
Other retailers have tested smart cabinets which can be opened by scanning their loyalty cards or inputting their phone numbers.
A spokesperson for the supermarket said it is ‘currently investing in a range of advanced technology, including smart technology, to deter theft’ (stock image)
The technology can track how long doors have been opened and whether any products have been removed, alerting staff to any suspicious activity such as people emptying the cabinets.
It comes as new figures revealed Britain’s shoplifting epidemic has hit a record high of more than 500,000 cases in a year.
Police recorded 530,000 offences in England and Wales last year – a 48 per cent increase on pre-pandemic levels.
And retailers estimate the true figure is far higher, as shoplifting has become increasingly organised on ‘Britain’s broken high streets’.
Reoffending has also spiralled, with 67 per cent of shoplifters going on to commit another offence within the year, compared to just 55 per cent before the pandemic.
Experts have warned that this reflects a growing scourge in career criminals.
In fact, the average shoplifter commits 9.1 offences, which has nearly doubled in the past five years, according to analysis by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ).
However, just one in five shoplifting offences resulted in a charge or court summons, meaning the vast majority of thieves faced no formal consequences.
The figures, spanning from April 2024 to March 2025, were released following a parliamentary question by CSJ chairman Sir Iain Duncan Smith.
It comes after the organisation has launched an inquiry seeking to repair Britain’s broken high streets.
CSJ researchers have identified a growing link between shoplifting levels and the spread of ‘dodgy vape shops and mini-marts’ operating as fronts for illegal activity.
Meanwhile, one in four independent retailers have reported seeing goods stolen from their shops being resold in their area.
Sir Iain, the MP for Chingford and Woodford Green, said Britain is suffering from a ‘high street crime wave’.
He added: ‘Set against years of economic difficulties, there is a risk that some of our town and city centres are left permanently hollowed out.
‘In my own constituency, rising levels of shoplifting point to a broader social breakdown that is fuelling crime.
‘Shoplifting is not a victimless crime. There must be zero tolerance for criminals who target shopkeepers and undermine our local communities.’
