- Some T.J. Maxx and Marshalls employees are being asked to wear body cameras to combat retail theft.
- But the cameras aren't making much of a difference so far, employees told CNN.
- Retailers have talked about theft as a major issue for years, though measuring it remains tough.
The parent company of T.J. Maxx is outfitting some employees with body-mounted cameras in the latest example of how retailers are trying to counter theft at their stores.
Dozens of job listings for loss prevention employees at T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods — all owned by TJX — mention that those hired must wear a "company-issued body worn camera" as part of the job.
The discount retailer started using the body-mounted cameras late last year, CFO John Klinger said on an earnings call last month.
"It's almost like a de-escalation where people are less likely to do something when they're being videotaped," Klinger said. The practice was reported earlier by CNN.
Klinger said that TJX expects "shrink" — a metric that includes losses from theft as well as other sources, such as damaged inventory — to be unchanged during its 2025 fiscal year.
TJX did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. The company told CNN that it trains employees how to use the cameras and only provides footage to law enforcement on request or if a court orders it.
Some store employees told CNN that the addition of the cameras has appeared to do little so far. One T.J. Maxx worker said the cameras were "just for show" and that the loss-prevention workers who don them don't take any action if someone appears to be stealing.
Retailers have spent years talking about the problem of theft, especially "organized retail crime," which they say involves coordinated, multi-person efforts to steal merchandise.
But it's hard to measure, thanks to problems with crime data and opaque reporting from the retailers themselves.
Technical solutions may not be enough, experts have told BI. Short-staffed stores are easier targets for shoplifters, for example, highlighting the importance of retailers maintaining enough person-power to deter thieves.
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