Redner’s Warehouse Markets, a grocery store chain based in Berks County, is using AI technology to combat theft. The software they use is proprietary and involves predictive analytics to identify irregularities in self-checkouts and other transactions. This enables them to detect shoppers who may be attempting to leave the store with more items than they have purchased.
The software screens for trends such as multiple low-cost purchases by frequent shoppers and alerts the loss prevention team when suspicious transactions are identified. Human investigators then evaluate these flagged transactions to determine if any theft is occurring. The meat department appears to be the area where Redner’s experiences the most significant losses due to theft involving the hiding of items in shopping carts while scanning other items.
Redner’s acknowledges that self-checkouts have become more popular, leading to an increase in theft instances. However, they emphasize that eliminating self-checkouts is not on the table; instead, they are focusing on evolving technology to enhance their theft prevention capabilities. By using AI technology, Redner’s aims to detect and deter individuals taking advantage of vulnerabilities in their system to prevent losses and maintain a secure shopping environment.