Several grocery stores in Denmark, including those owned by the Salling Group (Netto, Bilka, and Føtex), have begun attaching anti-theft alarms to Marabou chocolate bars due to a rise in shoplifting. The Salling Group confirmed this measure, citing an increase in theft as the primary reason.

According to the Salling Group, the growing problem of theft has forced them to implement measures like alarms and hiding goods, which they regret having to do. While they didn’t specify other items affected, Marabou chocolate was singled out.

Statistics Denmark reports a significant increase in shoplifting incidents, with a 77 percent rise since 2021. Last year alone saw 27,996 shoplifting reports, with grocery stores accounting for 70 percent of them.

A survey by the Confederation of Danish Industry also reflects this trend, with eight out of ten companies reporting an increase in shoplifting in recent years. The rise in shoplifting coincides with rising chocolate prices, which reached their highest level since consumer price statistics began, increasing nearly 40 percent in the last three years.

The Salling Group emphasizes that using anti-theft alarms is not ideal but has become a necessity. Data from Statistics Denmark reveals that the vast majority of shoplifting cases result in a conviction.

In 2024, 97 percent of shoplifting cases ended with a guilty verdict, with approximately nine out of ten convictions resulting in a fine.