The Salling Group, which owns major grocery chains like Netto, Bilka, and Føtex, is implementing theft alarms on select products in its stores in response to a growing shoplifting problem. This decision aims to protect vulnerable goods from theft, as the company has observed a significant increase in shoplifting incidents.

Christoffer Roslyng Green, press consultant for the Salling Group, confirmed that individual stores have the autonomy to determine which items are most susceptible to theft and require alarms. Expensive meats and wines are particularly targeted with security measures.

The decision to implement theft alarms is directly linked to the rising incidence of shoplifting across various demographics. Salling Group has noted an increase in shoplifting among individuals not typically suspected of such activity, including younger groups and elderly individuals shopping alone.

Statistics Denmark data reveals a substantial increase in reported shoplifting cases since 2021, with a 77 percent rise. In the past year alone, there were 27,996 reported incidents, with grocery stores accounting for 70 percent of these reports. A survey conducted among members of the Danish Chamber of Commerce supports this trend, with eight out of ten companies reporting an increase in shoplifting in recent years.

Data from Statistics Denmark also indicates that the vast majority of shoplifting cases result in a conviction, with 97 percent of cases in 2024 leading to a guilty verdict. Approximately nine out of ten guilty verdicts result in a fine.