Locked-up merchandise is turning off shoppers at CVS, Walgreens, and other big drugstores

Sun, 08/11/2024 - 05:12

Tide laundry detergent bottles locked up inside CVS store — Tide laundry detergent bottles with a security locking system to prevent theft at a CVS pharmacy in Queens, New York.
Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Major drugstore chains have locked up a lot of merchandise to prevent shoplifting.
But the anti-theft strategy is pushing some customers to wonder: Why even shop here?
Locking up so many items undermines one of drugstores' main reasons for existing: convenience.

Drugstores like CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid have long been the spots where you can pick up essentials like a can of soup or some Tylenol in addition to your prescriptions.