A man was left in a rage after being made to stroll around a supermarket carrying cheese locked in a security box.
In the UK, it’s common to see security tags attached to high-value items such as TVs and game consoles. But in recent years, everyday goods such as coffee, butter and even baby formula have been spotted in plastic cases as a deterrent for shoplifters amid ever-increasing prices.
One Tesco shopper caused a stir on social media after revealing his go-to cheese, Cathedral City light mature cheddar, had been the latest item to fall victim to the anti-theft measures at his local supermarket. Taking to X (formerly Twitter) he said: “Currently carrying a security box of cheese to the checkout, the country may be cooked.”
The tweet quickly went viral, amassing over 21,000 likes and nearly a million views. One user said: “Flipping heck, it’s not even the good extra mature stuff! ” while another simply stated: “No way.”
Another person chimed in: “I would simply leave my basket of goods and shop elsewhere. What a total joke.”
Earlier this year, fans of Cadbury’s chocolates were left scratching their heads after noticing their favourite sweet treats receiving exceptional security – and some shoppers admitted it would make them think twice about purchasing. Tesco custmers have also spotted salmon locked away in the plastic containers.
“Why is walking through the shop with this whopper the most embarrassing thing that Tesco could possibly make me do?” said one TikTok user.
Meanwhile, someone else shared: “The corner shop my sister used to work at couldn’t have cheese or baby formula on the shelf. People had to request it.”
One commenter reminisced: “Imagine, for a moment, we went back to the days of the small independent grocer. Everything fresh, behind the counter, and someone serving you.”
In Derby, another shopper noticed gammon steaks under lock and key, commenting: “Co-Op in Spondon, Derby – even had gammon steaks locked away! ” A different user humorously noted: “It’s a golden age for security box manufacturers though,”.
This action comes on the back of skyrocketing levels of shoplifting across the UK, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Police forces in England and Wales have reported a surge of a quarter in shoplifting offences over the past year.
Tesco has been approached for a comment.
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