Washington, D.C.’s ‘Giant Food’ supermarket chain may close a number of locations amidst a surge in theft and violence over the last five years. Company’ President Ira Kress told WTOP local news: “They steal everything from roasts to shrimp to deodorant to razor blades, you name it.” He also highlighted how organized crime groups are hiring other thieves to steal for them.
Giant Food operates 165 supermarkets in the U.S. capitol, Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware, and employs over 20,000 people. It was founded in the 1930s, and is now owned by Ahold Delhaize, a Dutch holding firm that also owns Food Lion, Stop & Shop, and other grocery chains around the world.
In Washington, D.C., Giant has taken security measures to combat the rise in shoplifting and violence, including limiting store entrances, hiring more security guards, restricting the number of items at self-checkouts, and limiting the number of items one may carry in their basket, but these have made little impact.
Kress blames the weakness of the justice system in refusing to punish offenders, arguing: “It is extraordinarily easy to see stolen items now… [a]nd if it’s easy to make money and there are little-to-no penalties getting caught doing it, then more people are taking advantage of that.”
