Locking up merchandise at drugstores and discount retailers hasn’t curbed retail theft but is driving frustrated consumers to shop online more, retail experts tell Axios.

Why it matters: Retail crime is eating into retailers’ profits and high theft rates are also leading to a rise in store closures.

• Secured cases can cause sales to drop 15% to 25%, Joe Budano, CEO of anti-theft technology company Indyme, previously told Axios.
• Barricading everything from razors to laundry detergent has largely backfired and broken shopping in America, Bloomberg reports.

The big picture: Aisles full of locked plexiglass cases are common at many CVS and Walgreens stores where consumers have to wait for an employee to unlock them.

• Target, Walmart, Dollar General and other retailers have also pulled back on self-checkout to deter shoplifting.
• “Locking up products worsens the shopping experience, and it makes things inconvenient and […]