Hot Topic: Are retail leaders and the media representing the retail crime issue accurately?

The National Retail Federation (NRF) has removed a “mistaken” fact from a recent report claiming that organized retail crime (ORC) made up “nearly half” of inventory losses in 2021. Critics claim it’s part of a broader tendency among retailers and the media to overstate the problem of shoplifting crime rings.

You tell us: When it comes to shoplifting, do you think retail leaders and the media are representing the problem accurately? Cast your vote here.

Circling back: Last week, we told you that NielsenIQ predicts that the dollar share of private-label consumer products, aka store brands, will increase to 19.6% in Q4, as a result of both inflated prices and private-label goods upping their appeal. And we asked if you were choosing an increasing number of private-label products over advertised brands these days.

Whether it’s because of inflation or you’ve grown addicted to Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi, most of you (64.6%) reported that yes, you are buying more private-label products these days. Another 25.6% of you said you’re not buying more private-label products as of late, while 9.8% of you didn’t know or weren’t sure.