While rates of shoplifting in the United States have remained relatively consistent over the past decade, fears about shoplifting have increased substantially.
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In response, retailers have employed all sorts of methods to try to prevent people from stealing. For example, some stores have stepped up their security forces, while others have sectioned off and monitored areas of the store that are more prone to shoplifting.
But among the most commonly employed—and least popular—methods of preventing shoplifting involves locking up items in cases. Some available data suggests that shoppers make fewer purchases when items are locked behind glass. As for why that happens, a recent video from TikTok user Jak (@closefriendjak) might offer a clue.
Why couldn’t this shopper buy deodorant from CVS?
In a video with over 168,000 views, the TikToker shows herself in a New York City CVS location.
The TikToker starts the video by pressing one of the buttons that’s supposed to indicate to an employee that she needs a case opened. This is the third time she’s pressed the button. Still, she says that no employee has come to help her.
Frustrated, she went to another aisle to ask someone for help—only to see someone stealing the entire nail polish section.
“That, my friend, is the downfall of CVS,” she tells the camera. “You just watch me try to buy deodorant. No one’s there to open up the shelf. I just watched someone steal the entire nail polish section.”
“And I thought about telling someone, but there was no one to tell!” the TikToker concludes.
Why is it so hard to shop at CVS?
For as long as CVS has used locked cabinets to deter theft, shoppers have had complaints about them.
CVS is not alone in locking items up and facing backlash for it. A January 2025 article in the New York Times recalled that Tim Wentworth, chief executive of Walgreens Boots Alliance, which operates Walgreens and Duane Reade stores in the U.S., recently told investors that “when you lock things up…you don’t sell as many of them.”
In response to issues surrounding these security measures, CVS says they’re working on programs to make it easier for customers to open cases—but it’s not ditching the cases entirely. The same New York Times piece notes that the chain is testing out a program that would allow customers to unlock cases with their phones rather than wait for an employee.
@closefriendjak nyc cvs testing our patience on the daily
♬ original sound – closefriendjak
Viewers have no patience for locked items
In the comments section, many users said that issues like the security cases, especially paired with understaffing, have caused them to buy from stores less often, instead opting to shop online.
“There’s never anyyyyy employees in mine so I just order on Amazon now,” a user wrote.
“It feels like businesses now are all just financial ponzis that don’t worry about actually being good businesses,” added another.
“If they’re locking up product they need to have a retail assistant on every aisle. Triple the workers. Otherwise they’re losing out,” declared a third. “That’s common sense.”
CVS responds
In an email to the Daily Dot, a CVS spokesperson shared the following:
“Retail theft is a challenge for all retailers. We know keeping products locked up can be inconvenient, but it’s important that we keep products in stock and available for our customers to purchase. Different products experience different theft rates, depending on store location and other factors, and our product protection decisions are data driven.”
It continued, “We utilize a variety of different measures to deter or prevent theft and locking a product is a measure of last resort. We’re trying out new ways to ensure products are available on our shelves and make it easier for customers to shop them, including allowing ExtraCare members to use the CVS app on their phones to open locked cases in a few stores.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Jak via TikTok direct message and comment.
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