Baby formula moved behind service counter in fear of shoplifting...

[cynatnite]

I went with my oldest daughter to the store today. She needed formula for the baby and they had moved all of it behind the service counter. She shook her head and said, 'this says a lot about the economy'. She views it as a sign that people are desperate enough to steal baby formula these days.

Anyone else seeing this?

[Deja Q]

1. Are the condoms behind the counter?

:shrug:

People have nothing else to do except screw... and while America's population is damn reasonable right now, with things changing I fear it's going to become unreasonable within a few years...

Send them to prison. No doubt they'll get all the formula they want. :crazy:

[MrSlayer]

2. Baby formula "Falls off the truck" here quite often.

It's a pretty lucrative black market business.

[SmokingJacket]

3. Yes.

Frankly, if someone is desperate enough to steal baby formula, maybe they should just have it.

Weird though... I know there's a few people who can't nurse, but breastmilk is free...

[Codeine]

11. Unfortunately,

It's not the parents snagging it. People steal it and then sell it on the streets for a nice chunk of change. The parents save a few bucks, but not as much as you might think, and the merchant gets screwed.

[Totally Committed]

4. Was this a "Convenience"-type store, or a supermarket...

do you mind me asking? I have to admit, my jaw dropped when I read this. I will be doubly shocked if it is a supermarket.

TC

[cynatnite]

10. It's a supermarket...

White's here in NE. TN.

[HoosierBuff]

5. formula theft is actually due to organized crime.

Before this is trumped up into something that it is not. . . .formula theft is widespread and due to organized crime and dishonest merchants. Just like razor blades, formula is expensive and easy to resell . . so theives love to run off with it and find a place to fence it. The good news is, most cases of formula theft are not due to need. . . the people who steal formula steal it for its value and the fact that so many people can afford to buy it.

oddly, the theft of formula for its eventual resale indicates the success of assistance programs. Formula is a high margin product, and that is why people steal it. . . to cash in on selling it to others.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0629/p01s01-usju.htm


Return now to your regularly scheduled programming.

[newyawker99]

7. Hi HoosierBuff!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Lars39]

6. Reminder: donate baby formula to local food banks.

:(

[China_cat]

8. Yeah, I just had the same thought.

by the case.

[Codeine]

9. We put ours in the back as well.

The powdered formula is a very bad combination of being fairly compact and fairly expensive, so it's a prime target for shoplifting. The really infuriating part is that it's usually not parents we catch swiping it, but greedy little assholes who turn around and sell it to people with kids for a tidy profit.

[cynatnite]

12. I mentioned to her that maybe those who stole it sold it...

she agreed it's possible, but given how much poverty there is here, she was really bothered by it. I think it was watching people stealing food after Katrina in order to survive is what really changed her attitudes.

[Historic NY]

13. The formula is often used to make a cutting agent for

other drugs. In most cases it is stolen to provide funds for an addicts next fix. The stores are only trying to cut back on their shrink, formula is one of thoe big ticket items that reaks havoc in retail sales.

[cynatnite]

14. baby formula also supports Hamas and Hezbollah

Seriously...the FBI director linked stolen formula to those groups. :rofl:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8088953/

Thanks for the info on how it's used as far as drugs go. I did not know that.

[MissB]

15. This was a problem back when mine were babies.

My youngest is seven.

It is kinda like moving the razor refills behind locked cabinets- easy to shoplift, high dollar value. Baby formula is sometimes stolen by organized groups as well.

[meisje]

16. It's often used to mix with cocaine or even sold as cocaine

One reason it is tinted yellow

[longship]

17. I take a case of Enfamil and a dozen Trojan Naturals.

:rofl: