In a letter to the editor, readers Mary Pimm and Nik Wood from London have proposed a straightforward solution to reduce shoplifting at Sainsbury’s: hire more staff for manned checkouts instead of relying on self-service terminals. They argue that increasing staff presence would deter theft more effectively than facial recognition technology.
The readers shared their experience at the Sainsbury’s Whitechapel store, where no staffed checkouts were available and only one overwhelmed employee was overseeing the self-service tills. They believe that having more staff on the shop floor would improve security and customer service.
Other letters in the same correspondence suggest donating old computers to local schools, recall a Brylcreem vending machine at Birmingham municipal baths, and remember Tony Benn’s practice of hanging a map of the UK upside down to gain a different perspective on governance.
