Grocery CEOs Among Those Urging Congress to Address Organized Retail Crime
In a Dec. 9 letter to congressional leaders, 20 CEOs of top retailers, including grocers expressed their concern regarding the growing impact of organized retail crime on retail employees and communities across the United States. The signatories urged legislators to pass the INFORM Consumers Act, which would update consumer protection laws to protect families and communities from the sale of stolen and “unsafe and dangerous” counterfeit goods online.
“Retailers have made significant investments to combat organized retail crime, but as they note in [the] letter, criminals will continue these brazen thefts as long as they are able to anonymously sell their stolen goods via online marketplaces,” noted Brian Dodge, president of the Washington, D.C.-based Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA). “Fortunately, there is a growing consensus among business leaders, law enforcement and a bipartisan group of policymakers that the INFORM Consumers Act is an important and appropriate step to stemming the tide. Deterring these crimes starts with making it harder for thieves to sell stolen goods online. We urge Congress to seize this opportunity to help protect communities, families and consumers.”
In addition to Dodge, those who signed the letter included W. Rodney McMullen, The Kroger Co.; Richard Keyes, Meijer Inc.; Heyward Donigan, Rite Aid Corp.; Brian C. Cornell, Target Corp.; Neela Montgomery, CVS Health; Todd J. Vasos, Dollar General Corp.; Anthony T. Hucker, Southeastern Grocers; and John Standley, Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. All of these retailers appear on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.
RILA members encompass more than 200 retailers, product manufacturers and service suppliers, which together account for more than $1.5 trillion in annual sales, millions of American jobs, and 100,000-plus stores, manufacturing facilities and distribution centers domestically and abroad.
