Monash University’s report also found a rise in specific behaviours, including shoplifting (27 per cent), changing price tags on products (30 per cent), not scanning some items at self-checkout terminals (32 per cent), and scanning items as cheaper alternatives (36 per cent).

Overall how much of this is made viable by replacing workers with self checkouts machines?

Vincent Hurley, who specialises in the contemporary role of police and policing within criminological theories at Macquarie University, said when it comes to retail theft, soaring prices may be driving the trend. “There is inflation and stagnation of wages, especially for part-time workers. So even to survive, some would consider stealing to be a way to survive in this cost-of-living crisis,” he told SBS News.

The cost of everything has gone up. What do people expect to happen? People in poverty, or let’s be real these day, even people who aren’t; just wander off somewhere and quietly starve to death? Woolies and Cole’s have been raking in cash during this pricing crisis. Im fortunate now to have a decent job, that I was incredibly lucky to get. A couple years ago I was on Centrelink. It didn’t even cover rent for a shithole. IDGAF if people steal from large retail chains to survive in economic crisis that they profit off.