D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Tuesday backed Giant Food’s decision to ban customers from bringing certain large bags into its District-based grocery stores as the local chain continues to combat retail theft.
The mayor said she sympathized with the Maryland-based grocer’s new policy on preventing shoppers from carrying suitcases, duffel bags and bags larger than 14” x 14” x 6” — usually in the form of closable tote bags — in order to deter shoppers from smuggling out products.
“What we call on all of the retailers to do is everything within their power to strengthen security within their stores,” Ms. Bowser said. “Shoppers want to be able to use their stores without having everything locked up, so the people who are stealing from stores — we have to make sure that that message is loud and clear that they threaten the whole community by doing that.”
Giant Food did clarify that open, reusable shopping bags are exempt from the new ban.
The grocery chain also said the policy, which took effect last week, only applies to its stores in the District. The company said thieves undercut Giant’s bottom line and not only disrupt shopping trips for law-abiding customers but threaten the safety of everyone in the store.
“The retail theft we are experiencing across our market area is a problem that affects everyone,” Giant said in a statement. “It limits product availability, creates a less convenient shopping experience, and, most critically, puts our associates and customers in harm’s way.”
Giant Food, which is headquartered in Landover, Maryland, and has more than 160 stores spread between the District, Maryland, Virginia and Delaware, has ramped up efforts to defend itself against aggressive shoplifting in recent years.
Last spring, Giant had customers enter its District locations through one entrance so security could keep better tabs on suspected shoplifters.
The grocery chain also hired more security guards and put a cap on the number of items purchased at self-checkout stands to fight theft.
The Giant location on Alabama Avenue Southeast — the only full-service grocery store in Ward 8 — removed major brands such as Advil, Colgate toothpaste and Tide detergent last fall after they were repeatedly poached by criminals.
Retail theft was a major sore spot for the District last year, according to a Forbes Advisor survey published in November.
The survey found that the District recorded the most instances of retail theft per capita last year at 2,829 per 100,000 residents.
Shoplifting costs residents in the nation’s capital an average of $336 per person, according to the survey. Forbes Advisor said the District had 69% more retail theft than expected last year based on its share of the U.S. population.
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