Most retail businesses have an accounting line for “shrinkage” that includes shoplifting, theft by employees, misplacement, whatever. You just build it into your business plan. It is strange that a megacorporation like Walgreens decided to try to add some kind of ethical component to this, let alone blame it on something probably mythical like organized shoplifting. I’m surprised they didn’t mention Fagin in there somewhere.
The real issue that Walgreens et al have is that it is increasingly hard for them to compete, not only with megastores like Costco and Walmart that now sell drugs and other medical supplies, but also with online sources. We all want the convenience of being able to go down to the corner to fill a prescription or buy some aspirin, but when things aren’t urgent Wags is not where we go to buy our stuff. It is interesting that there are still as many pharmacies per square mile as there are in big cities.
