Something that you don’t normally see, but it’s having a big impact on grocery stores: theft. People stealing high-priced grocery items, such as beef or alcohol, is taking a toll on grocers. It also pushes prices up, says Wisconsin Grocers Association President & CEO Brandon Scholz.
He says they’re working with the state Legislature to develop policies to deter stealing.
“There are organized gangs out there, organized retail theft, where somebody will come in the store, they’ll distract a manager, somebody will run back to the liquor department, they’ll grab that stuff, and they’ll go,” Scholz explains. “When they do that, that’s hundreds, thousands of dollars of product that’s lost.”
He says it’s becoming a growing problem in Wisconsin.
“We are working on policies that would keep the penalties for organized retail theft high,” says Scholz. “We want to make it more difficult for people to steal.”
WGA is pushing a few other items at the State Capitol that would have a direct impact on consumers. One of these is liquor delivery. Right now, it’s illegal to deliver alcohol per state law. But as more consumers opt for grocery delivery, grocers want to be able to sell everything their customers ask for.
“You can have as much groceries delivered to your home as you want, but you’re not allowed to order a six pack of beer or a bottle of wine or spirits,” Scholz says. “We’re hopeful, that as shoppers do continue to shop online, that grocery stores could serve their needs 100 percent by delivering beer, wine or spirits.”
To address labor concerns, WGA is also supporting provisions that would lead to greater quality of life in Wisconsin. This includes good housing, quality education, low crime and affordable taxes.
“There’s a study that says in the next 5-7 years, Wisconsin could lose upwards of 100,000 workers. We can’t afford to lose workers, and we have to do things not only to keep them here, but to entice others to move to Wisconsin to join our workforce,” Scholz says.