Shopping carts that lock and security gates? Shoppers sound off on retailers' anti-theft tactics

Mark Barrey says a recent shopping trip to his neighbourhood Zehrs in Waterloo, Ont., was humiliating. 

He said just before leaving Zehrs, a grocery chain owned by Loblaw, a "ridiculously loud" alarm went off and the wheels on his shopping cart locked.

"I'm standing there, my neighbours walking past me, looking at me like I've done something wrong," said Barrey. "It was incredibly embarrassing."

He says a store security employee checked his customer receipt, which proved he hadn't stolen anything. Even though he was now in the clear, Barrey said he had to wait with the immobile cart — with the alarm still blaring — until the employee found the remote device used to deactivate its wheel lock.

"There was no explanation … no apology," said Barrey. "If you're going to treat me like I am a criminal, I am not going to patronize your establishments."

According to the Retail Council of Canada, retail theft is on the rise, fuelled in part by organized crime and inflation. Although Canada's inflation rate declined last month, food, and mortgage costs remain stubbornly high. 

Several retailers, such as Loblaw and Walmart, have stepped up security. However, some tactics have sparked customer backlash, such as receipt checks and Loblaw locking wheels on customers' carts.

"It pissed me off," said Yvette Ogle of Kitchener, Ont. She says, last month, her cart's wheels suddenly locked when leaving her local Zehrs, and she had to show her receipt to get them unlocked. 

"I did absolutely nothing wrong that day and it was just, I feel, very heavy-handed."

Rebecca Lawrence said, two weeks ago, she endured the same experience at a Loblaw-owned Superstore in Dartmouth, N.S. 

"Why am I being singled out?'" she said. "It doesn't feel great given the fact that we're in a food insecurity crisis and prices are going up and up."

Loblaw told CBC News that organized retail crime is growing, with thieves stealing large amounts of pricey items such as cosmetics and baby formula, which they resell online. 

"We've had to make some changes in how our stores operate to stop this crime … while at the same time maintaining a welcoming and convenient customer experience," said spokesperson Catherine Thomas in an email. 

She did not answer questions about the company's cart wheel locking system, or explain why certain shoppers are targeted.