Revealed: The four types of swiper at Scotland’s supermarket self-scanners

Shopkeepers have been urged to step-up security after huge escalation in thefts at self-service checkouts.

Here, criminologist Emmeline Taylor profiles the different types of self-service swiper.

THE ACCIDENTAL

These people tend to get into it almost accidentally but, when they realise how easy it is, they’ve continued.

Perhaps they realised they’ve unintentionally not scanned something but no one stops them so they continue to steal, and it escalates from there.

This is the most common group – it’s thought 60% of swipers claim they first stole accidentally.

THE SWITCHER

Some people might just choose loose tomatoes when they’re buying more expensive tomatoes on the vine.

They call it discount theft because you’re still paying for the goods – but it is of course still theft.

Some savvy customers have realised that weight scales can be used to their advantage – 500g of carrots are cheaper than 500g of chicken, for instance. That’s a much more substantial discount.

THE ENTITLED

There are individuals who feel they’re doing the job of retailers. These are what we call “techniques of neutralisation”, which is a fancy term for excuses.

When someone is caught doing something wrong they may say they did it for a noble or ideological reason.

Individuals might say they were stealing because machines are replacing people. This is a classic technique of neutralisation – although perhaps it is also a valid point.

THE FRUSTRATED

We’ve all been here, when the “unexpected item in the bagging area” message becomes quite irritating.

A shopper might steal and use the justification the barcode wouldn’t scan, for instance. It’s difficult to know whether they intended to pay or if frustration is simply an excuse.