Why retailers like Home Depot, CVS and Walgreens are spending billions on anti-theft technology

According to the NRF, retail shrink, which refers to inventory loss due to theft, unknown loss and administrative error, reached $94.5 billion in 2021, a 4% increase from the year prior. While retailers and trade associations depict a "shoplifting epidemic," criminologists and civil rights advocates worry the story is more nuanced. They point out, among other things, that retail shrink is difficult to track, and of the data available, the methodology is inconsistent.