Walmart Just Turned Their Employees Into Cops… Here's Why it's a Genius Move

Walmart just dropped the most dystopian holiday gift nobody asked for: body cameras for its “associates”. The same company that's copying Target's every move is now outfitting its employees like they're about to do a tactical raid on the frozen food section.

The nation’s largest retailer is burning around $3 BILLION a year to theft. That's not a typo. Three. Billion. Dollars. To put that in perspective, that's enough money to buy every person in Montana a lifetime supply of cheese curds and still have cash left over for a really nice truck.

In at least one Texas store (because of course it's Texas), Walmart associates are now sporting yellow-and-black body cameras that scream "I'm documenting your every move" harder than your ex's Instagram stalking.

The idea is simple: if shoplifters see the camera, they’ll think twice before stuffing a purse full of scented candles. It’s a high-tech version of your mom saying, “I’ve got eyes in the back of my head.”

David Johnston from the National Retail Federation dropped some fun insight: These cameras have a reverse view monitor. In other words, shoplifters can literally watch themselves be caught in 4K. It's like a reality show where the only prize is a potential shoplifting charge. Walmart's official stance? Classic corporate speak: "We're always looking at new and innovative technology." Basically: "We're gonna record everything, and you can't stop us." 

The body cam rollout comes with some wild ground rules: associates can record if customer interactions get crazy, they can't film in bathrooms (thank god), and they must log any wild encounters in the "ethics and compliance app."

Statistically, Walmart is basically the Hunger Games of retail theft. A theft occurs every 17 seconds, with over 900,000 shoplifting incidents annually. Top stolen items include electronics, clothing, and cosmetics… we're looking at you, makeup bandits. But Walmart says this is about "worker safety," not just catching thieves. (Sure, we totally believe that.)

The industry reactions have been nothing short of exciting. Stuart Appelbaum from the Retail Union was NOT having it, declaring that "a body camera doesn't intervene. Workers need actual training." Burn. Bianca Agustin from United for Respect dropped an even hotter take, suggesting these cameras might actually PROVOKE people instead of deterring them. It's like bringing a selfie stick to a potential fight.

Oh, and if you’re wondering how Walmart’s stock is doing this year? Well, it’s been a bright spot among retailers. Despite all this theft drama, Walmart’s stock has actually been doing pretty well, up around 43% in 2024. 

We will have to stay tuned to see if these cameras are the fix Walmart needs… or if this is just the beginning of a very weird season of "Walmart Cops: Holiday Edition."

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Stock.News has positions in Walmart mentioned in article.