…at the Harris-Teeter supermarket. Having given into the need to get a Harris-Teeter (why are names like “Teeter” and “Cooter” so southern? Harris-Teeter is now Harris-Cooter) VIC card (don’t ask: it’s one of those plastic barcode discount-getter cards) I went to the Courtesy Desk and filled out a form. As I put pen to paper I realized the following things are securely stored behind the Courtesy Desk and not out on the shelves.
- Canned crabmeat
- Lottery tickets
- Tobacco
- Infant formula
The last made me sad and I thought about people so strapped for cash they have to steal baby food, enough so that management has to hide it away and guard it.
The put formula behind the counter because it is so easy to steal and fence. They have been doing that in Chicago at smaller stores for the last 10 years and longer. It isn’t because people are stealing it to feed their kids.
Check out eBay and Craigslist for formula and compare the prices at the store if you want to know why. Oh, and keep in mind that a healthy sub 1 year old can cruise through a can in less than 3 days. It’s not just the poor that are stealing it. Poor people aren’t stupid. They have other ways around this stuff… believe me I know all about baby bottles filled with plain cow milk with molasses mixed in.
Dave, controllingthe inventory link between the consumer and the check out stand for comestibles such as infant formula has been a part of shopping in southern California for 15 years. It started with the high end mixtures like bee pollen substitute baby food and word its was down to the less expensive brands. theft of baby food is very common here in Southern California. And tobacco? what kind of fool would leave it out in the open for every 10 year old to filch?
at $4.00 a gallons, I think service station owners are quite happy the gas tanks are buried very deep.
Jim
The Cooter-Teeter does it but I wonder why Walmart doesn’t.
When Piggly Wiggly buys Harris Teeter it will become “Big Wiggly Teeters”. 🙂