Lidl Tackles Rising Theft with Security tags on Goulash, Fish
Regional - Lidl is expanding its use of radio-frequency (RF) security tags to include everyday items like goulash and fish in an effort to combat increasing shoplifting, the discount retailer confirmed. The tags, featuring a metal coil disabled by a high-voltage burst at checkout, will trigger alarms if they pass through security gates without being deactivated.
The move reflects a broader trend of escalating retail theft across Germany, costing businesses billions annually. While lidl previously used the tags on higher-value or easily stolen goods, the extension to products like pre-packaged goulash signals a growing concern over losses. The company declined to specify the reasons for targeting these particular items, citing security protocols. “Please understand that we do not wish to provide any further facts regarding theft and security systems in our stores,” a Lidl spokesperson stated.
Previously, similar security labels appeared in select Lidl locations nationwide, initially applied to “high-value products and items notably at risk of theft.” The latest expansion comes as overall retail theft remains a significant problem.
Official police reports recorded over 400,000 cases of shoplifting in germany last year, a decrease from 2023 but still exceeding pre-pandemic levels. However, experts believe this figure dramatically underestimates the true extent of the issue. The EHI Retail Institute in Cologne estimates a staggering 100,000 undetected shoplifting incidents occur daily.
The total damage inflicted on German retailers by theft reached nearly three billion euros in 2024.The EHI further estimates that more than one billion euros of this loss is attributable to theft by employees, suppliers, and service personnel, along with shoplifters.
