Co-op stores in England put baby formula behind tills to deter theft

theguardian.com:

Co-op stores in England have resorted to putting baby formula behind the tills in some stores to stop them from being stolen.

A Brighton shop took action as thecost of living crisis continues to hit people up and down the country.

The Co-operative said it had taken the measure in a number of stores to trial a new deterrent to stop theft, although it would not say in how many outlets this was happening.

The move comes as the cost of many staple products continues to rise. A recent release from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that vegetable oil and pasta cost more than double they did year ago, with tea, chips and bread not far behind.

The ONS examined 1.5m online prices over the 12 months to September 2022, looking at the difference in lowest prices. Only three products are cheaper now than they were last year, including orange juice and minced beef.

The cost of an 800g tub of Cow & Gate follow-on formula in the store is £10.25.

The cost of infant formula has soared over the past year – with the price of the cheapest brand increasing by 22%. Even if a parent is able to access the cheapest brand, Aldi’s own label, the cash value of Healthy Start vouchers, £8.50 a week, is no longer enough to pay for the amount of infant formula needed to safely feed a baby in the first six months of their life.

Katherine O’Brien, a spokesperson for the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, said the Co-op’s move was “heartbreaking” but not surprising.

“Due to the soaring cost of infant formula, families experiencing food poverty are being forced to resort to unsafe feeding practices, including stretching out time between feeds and