Sainsbury's, Tesco, Waitrose, Co-op forced to remove 'law break' posters

Sainsbury's, Tesco, Co-op and Waitrose stores have been forced to remove posters which encouraged shoplifting. Sainsbury's, Tesco, Waitrose and Co-op supermarkets have removed posters after they went viral on TikTok amid the Cost of Living crisis.

The signs were made by self-professed art group Pattern Up. TikTok pranksters have been putting up fake stickers in stores to encourage shoplifting and one read: “Shoplifting is encouraged in this branch.” A second added: “If you see someone shoplifting, no you don’t.”

All signs have since been removed. A retail source said to the Sun newspaper: “These people make our jobs even harder by promoting shoplifting to thousands of young viewers. Taking them off will have caused extra work for someone.”

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Pattern Up accepted the posters might encourage shoplifting but told The Sun newspaper this week: “We have created these to spark conversation. It’s a comment on the lengths that people go to to eat due to the cost of living crisis.”

Last year, council bosses in Tower Hamlets recently revealed the most shoplifted item in the London borough was children's medicine Calpol. A report published by the council, where more than a third (39%) are classed as living in poverty, stated: "Shoplifting of essential items and medicine has increased. Theft of essential products for babies is also on the rise."

Dr Sinéad Furey, an expert in the link between poverty and national security, described stealing essentials as a "coping strategy" which those struggling were resorting to. “Unfortunately, the ones people used to rely on may not be available anymore,” Dr Furey said.

“Previously, you might rely on friends or family, but now everybody - or at least most of us - are struggling, too." Dr Sinead went on: “If you are in dire states and may have exhausted all your usual pathways, some people may just have to explore other options.

"Shoplifting essentials like food or medicines is not a choice.”