[Lardman]

I'm used to seeing security tags on large joints of meat and cheese but I noticed this evening that my lambs liver also has one on. Are things really so bad supermarkets feel the need to security tag £1.60 worth of offal ?

[mumofstig]

That is odd, I agree  If that wasn't a mistake they'll be tagging everything soon 

[Hampshire Hog]

Does seem rather extreme.
I can’t imagine that a typical shop lifter would wander out with a pack of lambs liver in their pocket. If for no other reason that they would be likely to have to get their coat dry cleaned for more than £1.60.

[Lardman]

It's not been that long since I bought the last packet (3 week?) it wasn't tagged then. I thought I was going mad when I saw the sticker. It's not like I can see people stealing it to resell and I've not seen liver being subject to the same treatment as the milk by the protesters.

If anyone is stealing liver to eat rather than the vast amounts of junk food in the shops part of me thinks they deserve to have it.

[snowdrops]

Ahh you might have answered something I wondered about today. I don’t normally shop in Iceland, but today found myself in there. On looking in the freezers out of interest of what they have I came across what looked to be a leg of lamb encased in what could only be described as a large clear plastic box. I did wonder if it was something to do with it not being stolen!
Does seem a bit extreme for a bit of liver, maybe someone in the back doesn’t know the what it is?

[Growster...]

Anything to do with the government's HFSS policy, and MandS are getting a bit more over-zealous?

Wonder how many more non-jobs will be created to cope with checking every shop in the country which employs more than fifty people?

[mumofstig]

Ahh you might have answered something I wondered about today. I don’t normally shop in Iceland, but today found myself in there. On looking in the freezers out of interest of what they have I came across what looked to be a leg of lamb encased in what could only be described as a large clear plastic box. I did wonder if it was something to do with it not being stolen!

Iceland have been doing that for their most expensive cuts of meat for a good few years now. Years ago, before they did, saw a man walk in pick up 4 lamb legs, tuck them in his jacket, turn round and just walk out  A few of us started shouting to staff but the security man said there wasn't much they could do about it, once the thief was out of the shop, other than report it 

[New shoot]

Ahh you might have answered something I wondered about today. I don’t normally shop in Iceland, but today found myself in there. On looking in the freezers out of interest of what they have I came across what looked to be a leg of lamb encased in what could only be described as a large clear plastic box. I did wonder if it was something to do with it not being stolen!

Iceland have been doing that for their most expensive cuts of meat for a good few years now. Years ago, before they did, saw a man walk in pick up 4 lamb legs, tuck them in his jacket, turn round and just walk out  A few of us started shouting to staff but the security man said there wasn't much they could do about it, once the thief was out of the shop, other than report it 

We are told in no uncertain terms not to follow people out of the shop as it you are not covered on their insurance if you get hurt outside.  We know our shop lifters and kick them out on sight, but people have been  threatened with hypodermics before now on challenging the sticky fingered fraternity.  It is not worth it for even 4 legs of lamb 

[snowdrops]

Goodness, crime does pay it would appear 

[New shoot]

It is a job for some.  Most of ours are addicts of some description and looking for money for that.

[John]

On a lighter note...
When I worked in retail one fun trick to play on visiting bosses was to secrete a security tag on them or in their briefcase etc.
My boss popped next door to buy something and as he left, off went the alarm. When he told them what they did, the security guard said he was the third boss they'd 'caught'
They must have really hated me in that store.. I had 3 in my jacket and 2 in my briefcase. 

[New shoot]

When I worked at the garden centre all the staff would leave together at the end of the day.  We had mandatory bag checks that managers had to do.  We had a bag of coloured balls and if you got a red, you got a bag check.

One day the MD and entourage visited and were leaving with the rest of us.  I was on bag checks when he swept through, at which point the centre manager literally shoved me forward to make him take a ball.  He was a bit taken aback, but did it and got a green (much to my relief).  Even better he thought it was funny and didn’t sack me on the spot 

[JayG]

Supermarket self-checkouts can be a lot of fun! 

A few weeks ago I was scanning the rows for the next available machine - a young woman had scanned and packed two bags of goodies and was the first to finish, so in I nipped.
The machine was displaying 'do you want to continue', and when I summoned help the assistant just sighed and said 'another walk-away', meaning she had scanned all her items and then just walked away without paying.
They didn't bother trying to go after her - all a bit too easy methinks. 

Even honest customers can get into slight trouble - whisky has a security tag which has to removed before leaving the shop, but if you chose not to have a printed receipt, as many do these days, you can't prove to the assistant you did actually pay for it, so he or she has to print one out for themselves. Not quite fully thought through!
(The new machines deliver the receipt at about knee level, and as often as not it drops straight onto the floor - thanks Tossco!  )

[John]

... The machine was displaying 'do you want to continue', and when I summoned help the assistant just sighed and said 'another walk-away', meaning she had scanned all her items and then just walked away without paying...

For more tips on reducing shopping costs.... 

[bayleaf]

I'm reading a book about wartime Britain at the moment. It says that offal was unrationed then, though you couldn't always get it. Maybe things are that bad to answer your question Lardy.