While I wholeheartedly support local retailers and shop with them whenever possible, let’s face it: mom-and-pop stores are increasingly going the way of the Australopithecus. Much of that has been due to the rise of first the big box stores, followed by the behemoth known as Amazon and the convenience of online shopping. Then came the pandemic to pick off the survivors.
Walmart was one of the ones left standing. For whatever its faults may be, it has a history of providing everything from tires and auto parts, to groceries, prescriptions and clothes, toys, and sporting goods, all at reasonable prices that are within reach of the common person.
That may be about to change in some cities.
During a recent appearance on CNBC’s Squawk Box, Walmart Chief Executive Doug McMillon said the prices at the retail giant may increase and some stores could be shuttered. The reason? Theft. McMillon stated, “Theft is an issue. It’s higher than what it has historically been. We’ve got safety measures, security measures that we’ve put in place by store location. I think local law enforcement being staffed and being a good partner is part of that equation, and that’s normally how we approach it.” He added that the issue would be handled on a city-by-city basis, noting that a “lax approach” by prosecutors could lead to the rate hikes and closures.
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Walmart is not alone. The chief financial officer of Target, Michael Fiddelke, told CNBC that his company has seen a loss of $400 million this year due to shoplifting. But Fiddelke said that the incidents of shoplifting can be attributed to organized retail theft, as opposed to instances of petty crime.
It would be easy to attribute these losses to inflation and the financial policies of the Biden Administration. And undoubtedly, one could find a correlation. But in reality, they’re largely due to the new approach to crime and the progressive prosecutors who feel justified in letting criminals walk free or take sweetheart plea deals, only to re-offend as soon as they are released on their own recognizance. And in an economy that is already skating on paper-thin ice, very few people can afford a hike in prices, or to drive twice as far to another store if their local one has been closed down. This is the price that has to be paid for leftist policies. And it may be coming to a store near you.
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