Co-op shopper's surprise after finding clearance £2.63 salmon in security box

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Customers at a Manchester city centre supermarket have been left confused after an unusual selection of products have been spotted in GPS-tracked plastic security boxes - including those on clearance.

Shoppers at Co-op’s Manchester Piccadilly store noticed that certain items, such as salmon and steak, had been given an extra layer of protection from shoplifters.

While the boxes are usually reserved for only the highest-value items, pictures show even clearance meat and fish, being sold for just over £2.50, in large plastic boxes boasting ‘Protected by GPS’. READ MORE: Huge cannabis stash uncovered behind 'false wall' in garage One shopper told the Manchester Evening News they were "surprised" to find the items in such heavy-duty boxes. "I was just searching through the clearance items when I noticed some large boxes at the back," she said. "I pulled them out, thinking, 'what could be in here?' "When I saw it was just salmon and steak for £2.50 I laughed - it just seemed like such a silly thing to so, especially when the store sells plenty of more expensive items." Co-op say they have been trialling the use of security boxes on higher-value items for over a year, but any decision to place low-value items under lock and key comes from individual stores.

The boxes are in place to deter shoplifters, and mean that customers must wait for a staff member to unlock the box before they can purchase the item.