Woolworths has come under fire over its latest tactic to stop theft in stores across the country.
It’s been revealed that the supermarket giant’s staff will watch customers as they move through the aisles, looking for suspicious activity.
If the covert employee spots anything concerning, they will then alert checkout staff to keep an eye on the shopper as they move through the checkout.
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7NEWS.com.au understands that Woolworths staff aren’t specifically trained to identify and track would-be offenders, but are encouraged to keep an eye out for potential issues throughout the supermarket.
A Woolworths spokesperson has confirmed that it is just one of several anti-theft measures being undertaken at stores.
“The majority of our customers do the right thing but we have a number of initiatives that we use, both covert and overt, to help reduce retail crime,” the spokesperson said.
The practice first came to light last week when a Woolies team member spoke out on Reddit.
“I work at Woolworths, if you’re stealing we know long before the self-scanner says anything,” they wrote.
Another purported worker agreed, adding: “Sometimes an employee walking around the store will pick up on someone who’s acting a bit suss and let the checkout team know in advance.
“It’s not foolproof, but it can help catch people whose pockets are just a little too bulging.”
In another Reddit post, a customer spoke out about their experience after being “followed around by an out of uniform ‘security guard’” at Woolworths.
“As I’m sure all of you are aware, Woolworths employs people to pretend to do shopping so they can keep an eye out for shoplifters,” the Reddit user said.
“I work full-time in a respected position but grew up in a housing commission in inner Sydney. I am no stranger to shoplifting but have had no reason to for over a decade.
“Perhaps this is my fault for how I dress outside of work and for having hand tattoos. This fella was following me around but was pretending to shop. I thought maybe I was overthinking it, but I did some testing.
“Every aisle I walked down, this man was right there pretending to look at shelves and would very clearly watch me but trying his hardest not to make it obvious.”
‘Are you following me?’
In the end, the shopper said they had no choice but to approach the person they suspected was following them.
“I walked down an aisle where no one was, and sure enough, old mate came around as well, so I said, ‘Are you following me or what, brah?’” the shopper continued.
“He fumbled his words and very poorly explained that he was working and was making sure I didn’t put anything in my backpack.
“I told him he didn’t have anything to worry about from me and explained that he was making me nervous. I said to him that he could check my bag when I left. He then apologised, and we shook hands and now say hello to each other.”
The Reddit user went on to say that they hope “Woolworths rethinks this strategy”.
“It causes distress for law-abiding shoppers and is a risk to employees,” they added.
“It is not worth a dust-up and the court procedures that would happen afterwards, especially when they are already making staggering profits!”
They also said they felt sorry for staff members who were carrying out the task.
“I don’t think it’s a job anyone chooses. Surely it is out of necessity to pay their bills,” they said.
“Imagine going on a date and having to explain what you do. ‘Yeah, I stop poor people from stealing food.’”
Many social media users were concerned by the shopper’s experience and had no idea about the security measure.
“Thanks for the post, and the info. I had no idea,” said one.
“Sucks it made you feel like sh*t but props to you (and that dude) for being up front and adult about it.”
Another added: “To be fair, I would say most of the actual staff wouldn’t know that’s a thing apart from the front end staff.”
A third wrote: “Seems the cost of paying people to follow around individuals would be greater than any good that are potentially stolen.”
Added one more: “Pretty sneaky. Good to know, though.”
Woolworths responds
A Woolworths spokesperson has told 7NEWS.com.au that the store is committed to preventing theft in stores.
“The majority of our customers do the right thing but we have a number of initiatives that we use, both covert and overt, to help reduce retail crime,” the spokesperson said.
“These initiatives include the use of camera technology at the checkouts, double welcome gates, CCTV and a trial of gates at the exit to our self-serve checkout area.
“All of our team are trained and have a number of tools available to keep them and our customers safe in the event of conflict or anti-social behaviour.”
