Why is Woolworths locking up deodorant? Shoppers are in a heated debate

When it comes to shopping at the grocery store, deodorant is usually one of those items you can easily grab from the shelf and go. However, that is no longer the case at certain Woolworths stores.

At first glance, it may appear to be an unusual step for the store to lock up everyday items like deodorant, but the reasons behind this change in store policy have been subject to intense speculation and sparked a divided response.



Recently, a customer spotted a shelf of deodorant locked up in a local Woolies store and took to social media to share the image.

The woman who posted the photo said, 'Well done Woolworths. If locking deodorant up helps to save just one young person from sniffing it, then it’s well worth it.’


Screenshot 2023-11-09 at 2.05.59 PM.png
A customer posted a photo of deodorants locked up in a cabinet in Woolworths. Credit: Facebook



Word quickly spread, with shoppers in various parts of the country reporting the same sight in their local Woolies stores.

‘I think they’re more trying to stop them from stealing than sniffing it. I don’t think Woolies really cares. Just wants its money,’ one person replied.

‘You can get high off any number of industrial and cleaning products. What difference will it make locking up deodorant? They will probably sell less of it now because no one will bother waiting around for someone to open the cabinet,’ another said.

Customers need to press a button to purchase a can and wait for a staff member to assist them and unlock the cabinet, according to reports.



Last year, Woolworths rolled out the initiative in all stores in the Northern Territory, as well as some stores in Queensland.

Woolworths Queensland state manager Danny Baldwin said, 'At Woolworths, we want to play our part in reducing the abuse of these products in Queensland.’

'With these new cabinets, we’re hoping to significantly reduce the opportunity for misuse while continuing to offer access to the products where our customers expect to find them [in the health and beauty aisle],’ he added.



Other shoppers said that this method would be helpful if it helped save lives, referencing a dangerous trend that has resurfaced.

‘It’s called chroming, and that is why supermarkets are introducing locking deodorants up. I think if it saves just one life, they have succeeded. Not sure why people would think it’s pointless or funny,’ one person said.

The Royal Children’s Melbourne Hospital stated that chroming has become a ‘general term used to describe the inhalation of volatile substances/solvents as recreational drugs.’

Deodorant, listed to have the gaseous compound butane, is included as one of the volatile household or industrial solvents inhaled in chroming.

Misuse of products like deodorant cans can cause serious health problems, such as heart palpitations, seizures, and sudden death.



In response to the discussions surrounding the shopper’s post, a Woolworths spokesperson said that the move was one of the store’s plans to ‘explore practical solutions’ to the ‘misuse of aerosol products across the country’.

‘We’ve fitted a number of our stores with in-aisle restricted items cabinets since 2021, and are currently in the process of expanding this across our store network,” they said.

‘This is set to be completed by the end of the month.’

‘We understand that this is a complex issue and that’s why we continue to engage with a variety of organisations including police, community groups, and our own store team members,’ they added.
‘We also continue to explore further ways to help the broader community effort to address misuse.’

Coles for its part has also locked deodorants in some stores citing similar reasons.

A spokesperson for Coles said, ‘A number of our stores now have lockable aerosol cabinets installed, and customers seeking to purchase these products can simply ask a team member at the service desk for assistance.’

‘We’ve had positive feedback from our customers since we introduced the lockable aerosol cabinets. It takes the whole community to support this issue,’ they added.



Key Takeaways
  • Woolworths has locked cans of deodorant under lock and key, causing controversy among shoppers.
  • The action was aimed at reducing the abuse of deodorant cans, often inhaled as recreational drugs, commonly referred to as 'chroming'.
  • Customers wanting to purchase deodorant need to press a button and wait for a staff member to unlock the cabinet.
  • Woolworths responded, stating that they are exploring practical solutions to the misuse of aerosol products and have been fitting stores with in-aisle restricted items cabinets.

What do you think of locking up deodorants in cabinets? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
 
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When it comes to shopping at the grocery store, deodorant is usually one of those items you can easily grab from the shelf and go. However, that is no longer the case at certain Woolworths stores.

At first glance, it may appear to be an unusual step for the store to lock up everyday items like deodorant, but the reasons behind this change in store policy have been subject to intense speculation and sparked a divided response.



Recently, a customer spotted a shelf of deodorant locked up in a local Woolies store and took to social media to share the image.

The woman who posted the photo said, 'Well done Woolworths. If locking deodorant up helps to save just one young person from sniffing it, then it’s well worth it.’


View attachment 34274
A customer posted a photo of deodorants locked up in a cabinet in Woolworths. Credit: Facebook



Word quickly spread, with shoppers in various parts of the country reporting the same sight in their local Woolies stores.

‘I think they’re more trying to stop them from stealing than sniffing it. I don’t think Woolies really cares. Just wants its money,’ one person replied.

‘You can get high off any number of industrial and cleaning products. What difference will it make locking up deodorant? They will probably sell less of it now because no one will bother waiting around for someone to open the cabinet,’ another said.

Customers need to press a button to purchase a can and wait for a staff member to assist them and unlock the cabinet, according to reports.



Last year, Woolworths rolled out the initiative in all stores in the Northern Territory, as well as some stores in Queensland.

Woolworths Queensland state manager Danny Baldwin said, 'At Woolworths, we want to play our part in reducing the abuse of these products in Queensland.’

'With these new cabinets, we’re hoping to significantly reduce the opportunity for misuse while continuing to offer access to the products where our customers expect to find them [in the health and beauty aisle],’ he added.



Other shoppers said that this method would be helpful if it helped save lives, referencing a dangerous trend that has resurfaced.

‘It’s called chroming, and that is why supermarkets are introducing locking deodorants up. I think if it saves just one life, they have succeeded. Not sure why people would think it’s pointless or funny,’ one person said.

The Royal Children’s Melbourne Hospital stated that chroming has become a ‘general term used to describe the inhalation of volatile substances/solvents as recreational drugs.’

Deodorant, listed to have the gaseous compound butane, is included as one of the volatile household or industrial solvents inhaled in chroming.

Misuse of products like deodorant cans can cause serious health problems, such as heart palpitations, seizures, and sudden death.



In response to the discussions surrounding the shopper’s post, a Woolworths spokesperson said that the move was one of the store’s plans to ‘explore practical solutions’ to the ‘misuse of aerosol products across the country’.

‘We’ve fitted a number of our stores with in-aisle restricted items cabinets since 2021, and are currently in the process of expanding this across our store network,” they said.

‘This is set to be completed by the end of the month.’

‘We understand that this is a complex issue and that’s why we continue to engage with a variety of organisations including police, community groups, and our own store team members,’ they added.
‘We also continue to explore further ways to help the broader community effort to address misuse.’

Coles for its part has also locked deodorants in some stores citing similar reasons.

A spokesperson for Coles said, ‘A number of our stores now have lockable aerosol cabinets installed, and customers seeking to purchase these products can simply ask a team member at the service desk for assistance.’

‘We’ve had positive feedback from our customers since we introduced the lockable aerosol cabinets. It takes the whole community to support this issue,’ they added.



Key Takeaways

  • Woolworths has locked cans of deodorant under lock and key, causing controversy among shoppers.
  • The action was aimed at reducing the abuse of deodorant cans, often inhaled as recreational drugs, commonly referred to as 'chroming'.
  • Customers wanting to purchase deodorant need to press a button and wait for a staff member to unlock the cabinet.
  • Woolworths responded, stating that they are exploring practical solutions to the misuse of aerosol products and have been fitting stores with in-aisle restricted items cabinets.

What do you think of locking up deodorants in cabinets? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Yes I see what they mean. However we will end up paying for it in money and our time
 
  • Like
Reactions: Annna
Ha Ha Ha..... why people would steal something like deodorants is to resell them on the back market. Locking the deodorants up will force the perpetrators onto another item.
I'm surprised they haven't locked down the razor blades as those are poisonously dear and easier to conceal.
 
So now we all go smelly as it takes too long to contact someone to come & unlock the cupboard, then select the deodorant we want. If it happens in my local store then I will go elsewhere to get my deodorant.

While they are at it, maybe they should lock up all aerosols i.e. fly spray, aerogard, hairspray etc.

Why do we need to babysit these idiots who want to damage their brains by inappropriate use of goods? If they can't get aerosols they can always go back to sniffing glue, petrol & probably many other things I would never think of sniffing.
 
When it comes to shopping at the grocery store, deodorant is usually one of those items you can easily grab from the shelf and go. However, that is no longer the case at certain Woolworths stores.

At first glance, it may appear to be an unusual step for the store to lock up everyday items like deodorant, but the reasons behind this change in store policy have been subject to intense speculation and sparked a divided response.



Recently, a customer spotted a shelf of deodorant locked up in a local Woolies store and took to social media to share the image.

The woman who posted the photo said, 'Well done Woolworths. If locking deodorant up helps to save just one young person from sniffing it, then it’s well worth it.’


View attachment 34274
A customer posted a photo of deodorants locked up in a cabinet in Woolworths. Credit: Facebook



Word quickly spread, with shoppers in various parts of the country reporting the same sight in their local Woolies stores.

‘I think they’re more trying to stop them from stealing than sniffing it. I don’t think Woolies really cares. Just wants its money,’ one person replied.

‘You can get high off any number of industrial and cleaning products. What difference will it make locking up deodorant? They will probably sell less of it now because no one will bother waiting around for someone to open the cabinet,’ another said.

Customers need to press a button to purchase a can and wait for a staff member to assist them and unlock the cabinet, according to reports.



Last year, Woolworths rolled out the initiative in all stores in the Northern Territory, as well as some stores in Queensland.

Woolworths Queensland state manager Danny Baldwin said, 'At Woolworths, we want to play our part in reducing the abuse of these products in Queensland.’

'With these new cabinets, we’re hoping to significantly reduce the opportunity for misuse while continuing to offer access to the products where our customers expect to find them [in the health and beauty aisle],’ he added.



Other shoppers said that this method would be helpful if it helped save lives, referencing a dangerous trend that has resurfaced.

‘It’s called chroming, and that is why supermarkets are introducing locking deodorants up. I think if it saves just one life, they have succeeded. Not sure why people would think it’s pointless or funny,’ one person said.

The Royal Children’s Melbourne Hospital stated that chroming has become a ‘general term used to describe the inhalation of volatile substances/solvents as recreational drugs.’

Deodorant, listed to have the gaseous compound butane, is included as one of the volatile household or industrial solvents inhaled in chroming.

Misuse of products like deodorant cans can cause serious health problems, such as heart palpitations, seizures, and sudden death.



In response to the discussions surrounding the shopper’s post, a Woolworths spokesperson said that the move was one of the store’s plans to ‘explore practical solutions’ to the ‘misuse of aerosol products across the country’.

‘We’ve fitted a number of our stores with in-aisle restricted items cabinets since 2021, and are currently in the process of expanding this across our store network,” they said.

‘This is set to be completed by the end of the month.’

‘We understand that this is a complex issue and that’s why we continue to engage with a variety of organisations including police, community groups, and our own store team members,’ they added.
‘We also continue to explore further ways to help the broader community effort to address misuse.’

Coles for its part has also locked deodorants in some stores citing similar reasons.

A spokesperson for Coles said, ‘A number of our stores now have lockable aerosol cabinets installed, and customers seeking to purchase these products can simply ask a team member at the service desk for assistance.’

‘We’ve had positive feedback from our customers since we introduced the lockable aerosol cabinets. It takes the whole community to support this issue,’ they added.



Key Takeaways

  • Woolworths has locked cans of deodorant under lock and key, causing controversy among shoppers.
  • The action was aimed at reducing the abuse of deodorant cans, often inhaled as recreational drugs, commonly referred to as 'chroming'.
  • Customers wanting to purchase deodorant need to press a button and wait for a staff member to unlock the cabinet.
  • Woolworths responded, stating that they are exploring practical solutions to the misuse of aerosol products and have been fitting stores with in-aisle restricted items cabinets.

What do you think of locking up deodorants in cabinets? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
 
As @elaine41 stated, why is it just deodorant being locked away? The active ingredient in cans used for chroming is hydrocarbon based which is used in hundreds of products ranging from spray cooking oil to WD-40 to oven cleaner (good way to corrode your respiratory system!). Going by Woolies logic, these products should be secured as well.

You can buy cans of butane cooking gas at stores such as BCF which is the most effective way for chroming. When a resident moved out of a house that I lived in, there were in excess of 100 empty butane cans left in his room. Quite the sniffer, that guy!

The old days of the chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) propellants are long gone which was a far more effective intoxicant. Butane is just a poor man's CFC.
 
It’s been like that in Alice Springs for years. They also have other items at front counter you have to ask staff for. Eg metho,certain glues, pure vanilla Etc
They also put in an additive to petrol in an attempt to stop sniffing. Fuels such as Opal have a greatly reduced level of aromatic hydrocarbons which is the substance of choice for the sniffer.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Leenie and NicholaM
it's just part of the next transition to reduce theft. Won't be long and everything will be behind a similar locking mechanism and you'll need to scan your card to have it added to your purchases. Then you'll just place into your bags and once finished, walk straight out the door no checkout. Similar system has been in place in Japan for well over 10 years. Not staff other than those filling shelves (from behind cabinets) or it is automatically filled by a computer shelf loader once a low stock number is triggered.
 
  • Angry
  • Wow
Reactions: elaine41 and DLHM
I think it is just a token sentiment in a bid to appease a group who want to put some liability on sellers as deodorant is the most common topic. Unfortunately, it is usually young children and a generational problem. Often they don’t stand a chance of making better decisions. How lucky are we to have not been born into such an environment. I am sad about the situation and, once again, there is no easy fix…The Human Rights Fighters would have a field day with any of my suggestions.
 
I think it is just a token sentiment in a bid to appease a group who want to put some liability on sellers as deodorant is the most common topic. Unfortunately, it is usually young children and a generational problem. Often they don’t stand a chance of making better decisions. How lucky are we to have not been born into such an environment. I am sad about the situation and, once again, there is no easy fix…The Human Rights Fighters would have a field day with any of my suggestions.
They do have a chance of making better decisions. Everyone is responsible for the decisions they make. No one holds them down & forces them to sniff the aerosol just like no one makes druggies take drugs. It is their choice. Do not put the blame for their actions on others in society.
 

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