Abergele Tesco store adds security tags to baby milk as cost of formula soars

Tubs of different brands of formula were photographed on the supermarket shelves with the security tags attached Credit: Media Wales

A supermarket in north Wales has resorted to placing security tags on tins of baby formula to stop them being stolen.

The Tesco store in Abergele, Denbighshire, took drastic action as the cost of living crisis continues to hit many people up and down the country.

It comes as a charity warned the rising cost of infant formula could force increasing numbers of vulnerable families to resort to unsafe feeding practices.

The cost of formula has soared over the past year, with the price of the cheapest brand increasing by 22%, according to analysis by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS).

It comes as the UK inflation rates sits at 11.1% - the highest figure in more than forty years.

The rise in the price of food and non-alcoholic drinks is even steeper, having increased by 16.2% in the year to October, tightening the squeeze on often already stretched budgets.

The store in Abergele, like many, has had to start security tagging what they deem "higher value" items Credit: Media Wales

An 800g tub of typical formula milk can cost between £12 and £15.A worker at the shop said that while they used to have shoplifters stealing more expensive items, "Now it’s people stealing everyday things, doing their weekly shop and trying to walk out without paying."

Tesco did not comment on the security tags but it is understood individual stores may decide to tag "higher value" items, although that is not a universal policy.

She added, "Baby milk has never been security tagged but now it is, so people can’t steal it. It was something that never would happen before but people are quite desperate.

"There is a lot going [missing] through self-service: people not scanning everything is more prevalent than it was. There are definitely a number of things that never had security tags before but have got them now."