Stores Are Now Pulling Tide, Advil From Shelves To Deter Shoplifters

It seems like every day there's another story about criminals and flash mobs ransacking stores all across the county. We've seen the videos - people running out with thousands of dollars of everything from Apple products to jewelry to Home Depot goods and more.

Anyone who has gone to their local CVS or drug store has seen the effects of not punishing those that break the law. Grocery stores have now started locking up nearly everything in their aisles - from deodorant to toothpaste. Heck, even ice cream is being chained up!

Grocery stores shelves are barren as shoplifting escalates. (Photo by Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

STORES PULLING BRAND NAME PRODUCTS

But as crime continues to rise with no sign of stopping anytime soon, some grocery stores are saying the heck with it and are pulling some products altogether.

The latest example includes Washington D.C.'s regional supermarket Giant Food. In a last ditch effort to try and stop shoplifting and not have to close its doors, the store announced that it would be getting rid of all branded items and will now only allow generic store brands.

“We want to continue to be able to serve the community, but we can’t do so at the level of significant loss or risk to our associates that we have today,” Giant president Ian Kress said.

That's right. We've become such a banana republic (pardon the store pun) that store owners are trying to do anything and everything they can to deter thieves. "Maybe they'll leave us alone if they don't recognize the company name!" is now a line of defense.

WORKERS AREN'T ALLOWED TO STOP THEM

It doesn't take a genius to realize that if stores are going to not have products available then people are just going to stop going altogether and purchase online instead.

The result? Even more stores still continue to close meaning workers will be out of jobs and your life will be even more inconvenienced. Meanwhile, the criminals win and laugh all the way to the bank. ... literally.

The downward spiral of America continues as prosecutors and judges continue to pander and not punish those that break the law. For some reason they think that criminals will just suddenly stop committing crimes if we leave them alone. Clearly, that hasn't worked out.

And if you do see your store being robbed and tried to intervene? You'll lose your job.

Somebody make it make sense. You can't. This is America in 2023.