Brazilian supermarkets recorded R$ 7.11 billion worth of losses during 2016, an increase of 0.14 percentage points over 2015.
This figure accounts for 2.28% of total turnover, according to a study published by the Brazilian Association of Supermarkets (ABRAS), which took into account the performance 339 supermarket chains.
Among the main causes of losses registered in 2016 are: operational issues, external theft, inventory errors, administrative errors, internal theft, and supplier-related issues.
Category Losses
According to the survey, the categories that saw the worst losses last year were: Confectionery (22.6% of total losses), Alcoholic Drinks and Beverages (18.2%), Perfumery (11.9%), Meat (10.7%) and Deodorants (9.1%).
Of the total number of survey respondents, 59.7% said that they have a loss prevention structure in place in their company. The study also highlighted the technological resources currently used by supermarkets to prevent losses in stores: CCTV, access alarms, cash box monitoring solutions and wireless communication, among others.
In relation to the activities adopted to prevent losses, supermarkets say they are investing in training for employees, more careful processes in the recruitment and selection of professionals, definitions of loss targets, controls and action plans, and loss prevention communication.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine
