https://www.lemonde.fr/en/economy/article/2023/03/28/in-supermarkets-across-europe-inflation-is-leading-to-a-surge-in-food-theft_6020914_19.html Wednesday, March 29, 2023 01 : 02 Paris time Navigation Go Back to the HomePage Sign in Sign in Subscribe * * Home nav_back_to_home * News In the news + French pension reform + Israel + Climate + Inflation + War in Ukraine + United States + Paris Olympics 2024 All sections + Global issues + Economy + Science + Investigations + Videos + Magazine + Food + Sports + Lifestyle + Culture + Travel + Obituaries + Pixels + Les Decodeurs + Religion + About Us * International + International + United States + United Kingdom + Europe + Africa + Letters from [4d9a08b_5828428-01-06] International Bus carrying pilgrims to Mecca crashes killing 20 Police use water cannons against protesters, March 27, 2023, in Tel Aviv. International Subscribers only Demonstrators in Israel wonder what to do next Public transport workers on strike in Frankfurt, Germany. 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Science Subscribers only National Museum of Natural History puts felines in the spotlight [40a6681_1679496200640-00] Culture Subscribers only In Paris, La Madeleine's public toilets have become a tourist destination [904d4c9_1679051030523-cl] Culture Subscribers only Musee du Luxembourg explores the colorful brotherhood of Leon and Claude Monet [2f17abe_1677079466265-hi] Culture Subscribers only Utagawa Hiroshige's ephemeral fan art at the Musee Guimet * Economy * Inflation In supermarkets across Europe, inflation is leading to a surge in food theft In countries like Greece, the UK and France, rising prices and the spread of automatic checkout machines have led to a surge in shoplifting. In response, retail stores are reinforcing their security measures. By Eric Albert (London (United Kingdom) correspondent), Cecile Prudhomme , Cecile Boutelet (Berlin (Germany) correspondent), Sandrine Morel (Madrid (Spain) correspondent) and Marina Rafenberg (Athens (Greece) correspondent) Published yesterday at 5:00 am (Paris), updated yesterday at 5:00 am (Paris) Time to 12 min. Lire en francais * Share Share + Share on Twitter + Share on Messenger + Share on Facebook + Share by email + Share on Whatsapp + Share on Linkedin + Copy link Subscribers only On February 12, 2022, a 70-year-old pensioner in great financial distress was arrested in the suburbs of Athens for shoplifting in a supermarket of the German brand Lidl. She had hidden in her bag EUR40 worth of meat and cheese. Her arrest sparked a movement of solidarity, with several Lidl stores vandalized and the company ultimately withdrawing its complaint. Last month in Spain, the Basque television channel ETB broadcasted a live segment on rising food prices in grocery stores. As the reporter stood near the checkout counter of a San Sebastian supermarket, viewers saw in the background a young man in jogging pants with bulging pockets ring the security gates before being chased down by a cashier and a security guard. On Twitter, some wondered if it was "the kid who [was] stealing or the supermarket with its prices." In a Coop supermarket in London, PS5.99 (EUR6.80) steaks are kept in huge, intimidating plastic boxes protected by GPS trackers. Unlocking the precious product requires going to the only cashier in the store, as all the other checkouts are automatic. "We have to put locks on them because they get stolen all the time," she explained. "But that doesn't really stop people. They'll often grab a few boxes and run to the exit. It's hard to stop them." In Berlin, the situation is very similar in the Lidl supermarket in the working-class district of Gesundbrunnen. In the meat and fish fridge, an eye-catching yellow label reads "secured item." Several products have been equipped with the same protective devices: a EUR9.99 salmon fillet from Norway, budget minced beef and a beef steak from Uruguay. "These are [the ones] that are most often stolen," explained an employee. "Everything here gets stolen, especially since prices started to rise." Whether it's Greece, Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany or France, food theft has been soaring throughout Europe. The inflation shock caused by energy prices has now spread to every type of food product. In the eurozone, annual food inflation reached 15% in February, with France in the middle of the pack at 14.5%, Germany at 22% and Baltic countries between 25% and 30%. Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes In France, food inflation continues to rise The price of many basic products is skyrocketing: rice (+ 27% over one year in the eurozone), whole milk (+ 27%), eggs (+ 26%), pasta (+ 20%) and bread (+ 17%). In Portugal, the average price of the essential products basket calculated by the national statistics office rose from EUR74.90 to EUR96.44 in one year, a nearly 29% increase. We are interested in your experience using the site. Send feedback 'Life is so expensive' As a result of this loss in purchasing power, the overwhelming majority of the population is either cutting down or changing its spending habits. In Germany, the dominant hold that discount retailers had on food retail, which already used to represent a third of the market, has further increased. According to the latest figures from the Agriculture Ministry, food spending fell by 8.8% between October 2021 and October 2022 in Spain, with a marked decline for fish (-15%), fresh fruit and vegetables (-14%) and meat (-12%). You have 83.29% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only. Lecture du Monde en cours sur un autre appareil. 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