In difficult times like these, Twitter often turns into a space for heated debates. And if it hits a nerve, it may spiral out of control.
This is what happened when Jesús A. Rodríguez tweeted a photo showing a supermarket shelf with the caption “it’s more than just the police.” The image showed an aisle of locked-up hair products allegedly aimed at black hair. Jesús’s post soon racked up 606K likes and 191K retweets and got everyone debating the issue. Others joined in to share more pics from supermarkets calling them out for “everyday systematic racism.”
But some remained skeptical over whether the issue has anything to do with racism. In reply to Jesús’s post, Nola Darling said that “stores lock up products that are mostly stolen.” Let’s dive into the stormy discussion down below to see how it progressed.
This post sparked a stormy discussion on Twitter
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Many joined in to share what they spotted at supermarkets
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Institutional and systematic racism have become keywords in the wake of the George Floyd protests and the Black Lives Matter movement. Mary Frances O’Dowd, a senior lecturer of Indigenous Studies at CQUniversity Australia, described these two terms in a piece for The Conversation. “’Systemic racism,’ or ‘institutional racism,’ refers to how ideas of white superiority are captured in everyday thinking at a systems level: taking in the big picture of how society operates, rather than looking at one-on-one interactions.”
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It’s also important to note that “these systems can include laws and regulations, but also unquestioned social systems.” This means that systematic racism can stem from “education, access, and hiring practices.” It penetrates, both openly and invisibly, every aspect of our daily lives.
For example, Joaquin Phoenix called out systematic racism in the film industry as his speech for leading actor at the 2020 BAFTA awards. “I think that we send a very clear message to people of color that you’re not welcome here. I think it’s more than just having sets that are multicultural. We have to do really the hard work to truly understand systemic racism.”
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Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary currently defines racism as:
1. a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race
2. a) a doctrine or political program based on the assumption of racism and designed to execute its principles, b) a political or social system founded on racism
3. racial prejudice or discrimination
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Today at target 😡 pic.twitter.com/IZxkzzChGI
— Amber Desiree (@TheAmber_Show) June 9, 2020
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Image credits: Andrew Styczynski – The Sun
But Kennedy Mitchum, a recent graduate of Drake University in Iowa, suggested that the definition should include a reference to systemic oppression. On May 28, she emailed American Merriam-Webster and pointed out that racism is “both prejudice combined with social and institutional power. It is a system of advantage based on skin color.”
Merriam-Webster replied the next day and said the issue needs to be addressed urgently. Merriam-Webster’s editorial manager Peter Sokolowski told the BBC that the wording of the second definition of racism will be “even more clear in our next release.” “It could be expanded to include the term systemic and it will certainly have one or two example sentences, at least,” he said.
But others felt like the issue has nothing to do with racism
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Others found the pricing was the issue
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And more people had to add to the debate
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They lock it up when it gets stolen often, they don't lock it up when stealing isn't much of an issue. So if the store near you locks s**t up, then it says more about your neighbourhood than it does about the store owner. Locking s**t up is an reaction to an action.
In my neighborhood Walgreens, the men's Mach 3 razors have theft prevention. The women's razors, of equal value, don't.
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I think this whole racism thing is getting out of hand and people are becoming paranoid seeing it everywhere. These things can be explained by locking up high theft items, different production batches, people hoarding and a maximum sales limit, people actually having black hair....sooo many other reasonable explanations. even the fact that this is considered "racist" is a gimps of the dystopian society that is in the US. If even these mundane things are RACIST and trigger people then everything is and the word RACIST loses all if it's significance. I personally think that words like "RACIST, BIGGOT, HOMOPHOBE, TRANSFOBE" should not be used lightly.
I would agree that the racism thing is way out of hand. Been 155 years since slavery ended and we still disproportional arrest people of color, given them higher sentences for the same crimes, drastically under fund their schools, teach people of color they have a lesser value, and then call them paranoid when they point out injustice. Let's agree that these items are high theft items. Notice how they are not TVs or electronics. They are basic necessities. When you have high theft of cheap necessities that are clearly designated for one particular race...doesn't that show you that there is a high degree of racism that they face? May be if they had better schools, were more likely to be hired, or just didn't get arrested for being black they wouldn't have to steal shampoo.
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If people would stop stealing s**t then they wouldn't have to lock everything up!
People need to stop using the Dove commercial as an example of racism. It was taken out of context. It's one of those, there are honest to God problems and that just isn't one of them.
Exactly. I suggest people read the 'I am the woman in the racist Dove ad' article on the Guardian. It's a chilling example of how mob mentality and things taken out of context are f*****g scary. The ad being removed is a bad thing. Here is a direct quote from the black model in the photo: "While I agree with Dove’s response to unequivocally apologise for any offense caused, they could have also defended their creative vision, and their choice to include me, an unequivocally dark-skinned black woman, as a face of their campaign. I am not just some silent victim of a mistaken beauty campaign. I am strong, I am beautiful, and I will not be erased."
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Two points: 1) Large stores like CVS lock high-theft items up based on inventory data, not racism. It's inconvenient for the sales associates and expensive to lock merchandise up, so they're doing it for a reason and they occasionally reevaluate. 2) A lot of shoplifting is somewhat organized and resold to shady corner stores. That is why you see Tide, soap, energy drinks and energy shots locked up. These stores tend do tend to be in low income areas with minority customers.
That Dove commercial I remember. It was a whole slew of women, of all colors, showing that it's good for everyone's skin. It was not at all racist.
Having worked in retail for many years I can assure you that if it's locked up it's because it's been stolen often. The store sees the trend and reacts, simple as that. If you look hard enough you can find racism anywhere. As far as the price differences, I can't really say. Maybe one should look at the ingredients in the hair care, maybe it costs more to make. Just a thought....
You know why certain products are locked? Because they have a history of being stolen. My Walmart has all the wireless stuff locked behind glass doors, even cheap cases and cords. Why? Because of theft. Walmart near work doesn't have the same problem, nor the one in Knightdale. The SJWs practicing Victimhoodology should ask why these products need to be locked up. Perhaps talk to the store manager and see the data about theft that led to this.
This is not about racism, this is about economics. 100% these items are stolen the most. It sucks for the rest of us who don't steal.
"the white girl kleptos of the shoplifting community" WTF. But if we say "the black girl kleptos of the hairproduct shoplifting community", that'racist and nazi and whatnot. Double standards much?
Hell, in my town they lock up the condoms and Magic the Gathering Cards. I think locking up items has more to do with rate of theft than anything else.
oh no! if locking up condoms leads to un-wanted pregnancy that's so awful. I can't really offer a solution, but it's thought provoking.
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This is about theft and economics, not race. The stores exist to make money and part of that is about reducing loss. It's the same root cause regarding lack of grocery stores in certain areas. The shops are literally stolen out of business. There are several pharmacies, gas stations, and other stores that are closing permanently after the riots.
Yes, I feel so relieved that at least Bored-Pandas still are intelligent
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Ok, most of this seems ridiculous. All this is simply happening because those products happen to get stolen the most where these stores are. And what does the tide picture even have to do with the topic? Is there tide for different races now????
I am a Caucasian who lives in a predominantly African American county. When I started to notice items (i.e. razor blades, soap) being locked up in my area pharmacy which is run predominantly by African Americans, I was told that they had to start locking things up since they were being shoplifted and losing way too much money. Shoplifting has nothing to do with race and everything to do with not being taught by ones parents about right versus wrong or being taught that stealing is wrong!
Walmart person here, would like to share a bit of my perspective. First thing to keep in mind is that none of this (at least to my knowledge) comes from the top. It could be a manager's decision, or a district manager's decision, but it's not written into Walmart Law in a book somewhere; Walmart can be evil, but it's not the devil. If a manager decries it, the people under him are stuck going along with it, no matter how stupid or pointless. Second, there is the issue of theft. Strange sh-- becomes targets for theft. I have to spider-wire my children's tablets and watches because even though they're all $50-100 and never ever sell, they are immediately stolen without security. On the other hand, a lot of items stolen are things people need and can't afford. I get upset about stolen knives and drugs, but I can't fault people for stolen baby formula and baby clothes, etc. (out of space, will continue in comments)
I get all of this, except the thrift store one. Before Covid, I would be at thrift stores at least 4 days a week (it is how I make a living). Often two IDENTICAL items (not different colors, brands, sizes - but identical items) will be priced differently. It is because different people do the pricing every day. And so two identical plates will be priced differently. And most stores won't match prices. One plate is 99 cents, and one is $1.50. Too bad.
Life experiences teach most people "what" to expect. If a store never rings up black hair care products due to theft?!! Then someone (black or white or whatever) is stealing them! Not racist at all. Why are people always looking for this s**t?
If you look hard enough for something to be offended by, you certainly WILL find it...You will never be happy if you are constantly offended!
At Walmart and other markets, they've been locking up almost anything that might fit in a purse or pocket. Make-up, perfumes, etc. It doesn't have anything to do with anything but theft.
In the Dove commercial the black woman took her shirt off to become the white woman. The white woman took her shirt off to become the hispanic woman. Only the first two women were shown.
What is the difference with Black Girl sunscreen? Isn’t sunscreen the same for all skin types? I admit I need a high spf because I burn bad. I’m so confused why you’d need a completely separate product that’s probably same except overpriced. Maybe don’t fall for these marketing gimmicks? It’s not racist to put more frequently bought items in prominent display. I assume high theft items in more impoverished areas are locked up. Stores don’t give a c**p about your skin color, they care about loss prevention and profits. It’s more of a problem as to why people steal but why stores try to prevent loss. Bigger issue folks.
This makes a good point, but the Dove ad is showing that their products are for women of all skin types and colors. The person posting that should have at least watched the ad. And why is locking up laundry detergent racist?
If a particular demographic of people have a very high level of shoplifting particular products, then what would be the "logical" thing to do? Don't bother answering. You won't be able to do it. Instead, you must forget logic and follow Political Correctness. Sorry store owners, you simply are not allowed to prevent your stock from being stolen. If you object to this, you're a f*****g racist and should be stoned to death. It's a waste of time locking the stuff up anyway because sooner or later your store is going to be looted and burnt to the ground. This is the "New World". Deal with it, or sell your shops and go on unemployment you unreasonable racist bastards. (Note to the not so bright ... this is "Sarcasm" ... Google it.)
That guy that posted the Dove commercial as an example is a malicious piece of human trash... there was nothing wrong with that commercial but he took on bit out of context and completely twisted the whole narrative... people like this are the worst
Blacks commit vastly disproportionate amounts of violent crime. WHY CAN'T THE POLICE JUST LEAVE BLACKS ALONE? Blacks are stealing the damn Afro sheen. WHY DO YOU HAVE TO LOCK UP THE AFRO SHEEN? ........... wake up people.
In my nearest supermarket Green halapeno tabasco is in a locked container. No other sauce (even other Tabascos) is. What does that mean?
I am a Caucasian who lives in a predominantly African American county. When I go into my pharmacy which is manned mostly by African Americans, I have to go to them when I find things like razor blades locked up. This was not always the case and so I asked them why they are locking these things up and their answer was simple. They keep stealing these items and they are losing lots of money. This is not racism. This is lack of upbringing by parents that you should not steal!
I am confused about the tide being locked up. Like I know there is a black market for tide but white people use tide too. My family has always used it.
What is so different and wonderful about Tide that there is a black market for it?
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They lock up the items that are stolen more often. If things are stolen a lot then it gets a security tag or locked behind a glass case. It’s extremely unfortunate that there are other things pictured that is not fair and that’s something I can not ex plain but the things stolen is what is “lost merchandise for the business”. It can equal to thousands and thousands if something isn’t done. It’s sad they have to spend extra time and effort to keep their products from being taken. We can all blame racism or we can do something about bad people ruining it for others
I can answer the Canadian thrift store question. Different people price the materials subjectively. I've often seen two donated items that are exactly the same priced differently.
Wait. What's wrong with the Dove ad campaign? I've watch the whole thing. And it's different than what just the two pictures are put side by side.
If darker shades are locked up mayyyybe darker shades are stolen more often? If it happened at my store I would do the same. If you dont want to see these kinds of things then dont steal it in the first place.
Sick of this c**p, everything is racist, media brainwashing at it's best
So now you guys see racism even up your a*s; maybe you should blow up Mount Rushmore for any of 'the guys' is black! How about the American constitution or The Founding Fathers of the United States? Really? Even the toilet was invented by a white dude.
In a lot of these cases, the theft prevention teams in the head offices of retailers will see a sku number, how much that product loses through theft overall. They then decide whether to add theft prevention devices based on this information, they don't even know what the product is, it's just a sku number. It does show there is wider social mobility issue in wider society. People stealing these things do so because they are in poverty.
Each box has different colors. I seriously thought it was about the color of the hair. Very sorry to have to witness another example of racism. Let's please ALL come together as one!.
I went to get a pair of good nail clippers and I noticed that the African-American products were kept under lock and key in the "beauty" department. I looked for some hair gel and noticed every jar I picked up to open and smell had someone's fingers dipped into them. Every one. This was Walmart in northern California.
Eww. Sad thing is, a single person can ruin a whole shelf of jars, but you just can't stand there and watch everyone like a creep.
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This is why we can’t have nice things. White people are not the superior race (I’m white myself), white people also commit crimes, no race is better and no race is worse.
These things are locked up because they are most frequently stolen, it has nothing to do with race. Locking things up is difficult and could result in less profit for the store so if it’s not necessary they will not do it.
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I believe the Tide products being locked up was during the teens eating Tidepods pandemic...
But that picture shows BOTTLES of LIQUID Tide. Not packs of Tidepods.
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I was called the Decoy. While I was followed around the store, my white pals robbed the place blind. I learned to pick a better class of friends, but learned a valuable lesson too.
Most of these give pause to think. But I have to quibble about the dolls in the thrift shop. These things are priced according to age and condition. I would have to see the condition of both dolls before I could make a definitive judgment that the pricing was unfair. However, the white doll was priced higher. So obviously the thrift store was not trying to price gouge the potential black buyer of the black doll. I know with male/female discrimination when two products are exactly the same but are designated for male and female the price for the female is usually higher. Women do not see that as a signal that the product is more valuable to them, they see that as prejudice against them. So it's really hard to determine that there is some kind of prejudice going on with the dolls.
Look the store is going to end up doing what they want in the end, they have inventories that can prove pilferage and loss. If something keeps getting pilfered they can stop carrying it altogether, and if they are a big box store with a website you will be able to order online. And that will likely go for all of it, not just the products for Black hair or skin tones. I visited Dollar General in an ordinary part of town and they had laundry detergent under lock and key, also due to theft. And then recently I watched a store video where 100's of people stormed it (this was way before protests) and cleared it out in minutes. So here is what will likely happen: You go to the front of the store and ask for what you want. You inspect the items they bring up and decide yes or no, then pay and go home. No more browsing, no more self help. It has already started with the online order and pickup. Welcome to the 20's.
I'm sorry but this is the drip, drip effect of subconscious racism. In the UK most of the black hair shops are fun by South East asians, the follow you round the store and only smile when they're taking your money. I see black brown women like myself being observed and then spend lots of money in these shops. And no there aren't local black business to buy from otherwise they wouldn't get my money . Unless you are a person of colour you have no idea what it is like being stereotyped all the time. It wears you out and I live in the UK so goodness knows what it's like in America
I think people have lost their minds. In the community where I live, all the products are priced pretty much the same, there are specific products for people of color, example hair products, but they're not locked up,nor are they pricier than commiserate products. Get a life, people.
Actually, at the drift store it might not be racism. They usually price by damage of the second hand goods. This is just from my experience, though. Good and eye opening article anyway!
I think those things were locked up because that was the thing the get stolen most of the time.
I live in a very small town with a lot of redneck types (trust me I’m a lesbian and catch c**p quite often) but our Walmart’s only lock up cologne and perfumes. I’ve never seen one lock up hair products! This is insane! Believe me I’m white as hell and I know PLENTY of white folks who shoplift and rob but I don’t know one single black person who does. I have had friends of different races my entire life and the white ones have done more BS out of everyone. I don’t think it’s that one race does this more than another I just think black folks get reported more often because people are racist buttholes!
I agree that theft is more socioeconomic than race. What do you mean by “reported” more often? Reported by employees to the police?
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Today Walgreen's and CVS announced they will no longer be locking up cosmetics that are designed for people of color. I guess someone there reads Twitter.
Fortunately this doesn't happen in the UK. Im shocked at the Dove advert, so quickly watched a YT video. I don't think it's racist as after the really white girl was a more olive skinned model, admittedly they should have chosen another skintone such as Asian , to make the point of Dove being suitable for all skin much clearer.
If you watched the commercial then you would know that they did. The black girl changed to white, then the white girl changed to Asian and the Asian girl changed to brown etcetera.
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Systemic* Don't write about it if you don't even know the right word to use
In my local supermarket tinned corned beef and mayonnaise is locked up in a cage- guess the people who had been stealing it really like corned beef sandwiches!
Mayo should always be locked up, it's disgusting.
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Ok I am 2 sided on this because I see both sides. 1. The companies lock items up or add theft deterrent devices because they are "High Theft" and not because it's racism. White people steal soo much where I am and it's all the crack heads and druggies. 2. The price is most likely higher for the black community because the black market (no pun intended or racism intended) is a smaller market than the white or rest of the market. The products for black hair care is unique to their needs. As a white person, I would never need that product for my hair. FYI I do not want to say that there is not racism, but things like these in these large big box stores are planned based on theft. I work for a big box store that was not in the pics and we put security devices on items because their highly stolen stolenitems.
People steal. It has nothing to with race. Think of this if you continually accuse your partner of cheating, one day they will. They think, “well they think I am anyway so why not?” That same mentality goes across the board. If you treat people like they’re criminals, then they’ll act like one. Treating others with kindness is free. If you’re so afraid of stealing buy security cameras.
According to your logic, if you continually accuse white people of racism, one day they will become racists. And how security cameras help? Most of these stores have them, but police does not care about small item theft.
Load More Replies... My Walmart locks up some of the electronics but what offended me when they first opened was that they had the blatant video cameras with monitors protecting the baby formula. All I could think if parents had to steal to feed their babies what does that say about our society?!? As for the makeup and hair care products you should either lock them all up or lock up none of them. Kleptos come in all types.
Guys, you're missing the point. We all know that the products are locked up because they get stolen. The question isn't THAT they get stolen, it's WHY. When you are a person of color in a society built on systemic racism that is designed to keep you poor, sometimes the only way to get things is to steal them. I mean, look at the pictures. In most cases the items are necessities. Maybe the solution is to build a society where the color of your skin doesn't determine whether or not you get adequate education. food, housing and jobs. You're being called on to understand that there is a deeper issue here. Try to look past your privilege and see the other side for a change.
What privilege? Being born with white skin is not a privilege, it is because your parents were also born with white skin. White skin is a fact of genetics, not privilege.
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To add, this is one major reason Race is still an issue, people are being psychologically conditioned to see racism in everything. They will psychoanalyze anything in order to find something racist about it.
Soo many jumps to conclusions here. So many messing up of correlation and causality... Wish I had had popcorn while reading these comments.
I noticed this type of racism at music stores back in the day (when we purchased CDs). Rap CDs didn't go on sale very often and even at regular price they were often a dollar or two more than other genres.
That is because items that are sold less need to eventually bring in the same amount of money which makes them more expensive.
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Why did the lock them up in the first place. What was their reasoning? I have seen various neutral items locked too.
Theft prevention. They are the items that get stolen the most.
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I went to the Body Shop the other day to get this foundation that I've been using for a while. My skin tone is light to medium brown. When I went to grab the foundation that I usually get I noticed that it was the darkest one that they had available. Confused I asked one of the employees in the shop if they had changed their foundation number system since the last time I was here. She said no, all the darker foundations can be found online. I put it back and left the store. I haven't shopped there since. It is so unfair that they don't provide all of the options in store. Sure it can be bought online, but how are you supposed to test to see if you have the right colour for your skin?
Jesus Christ, just go back, most likely they were just out of stock for a while.
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It saddens me that ppl are so blind they are literally denying and justifying blatant racism. Open your eyes for heavens sake.
Rather than being sad, perhaps make a logical argument why you see obvious racism here. You could also argue the fallacies in logic of some alternative theories you disagree with.
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I smell White Privilege all over this comments section... (And appreciate the accurate comments about WHY people might steal hair/body care products -- because we still have systemic racism that keeps people trapped in poor neighborhoods where they can't afford basic necessities. I'm not condoning stealing at all, it's wrong, but even more wrong is the system that creates these kinds of inequities.)
How is it racisme if that's the product that get's stolen most often... Oh wait that most meen that some people are more criminal then others.... But no that can't possible be right
I could (if barely) understand locked up items in the stores, but not the difference in pricing. Even toy babies... What's wrong with this society? 🤨🤦♀️
Why would anyone want to open a store? Price one item higher than another is racism because apparently you like punishing a race by charging more. Conversely, pricing that item more cheaply is seen as implying that race is poorer thus racism. Price one doll lower than another and it’s inferred you place less worth on one race over another. Maybe it’s inferred it’s cheaper because that race is poorer. Better make it more expensive. Now you are punishing a race. Make it the same. Now you can’t adjust to overstocking. Regardless, it must be racism. Skepticism of given narratives and critical thinking skills are trading at a discount.
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This isn't about the "stealing" issue, but it's related to corporate racism: I heard from a Black co-worker some years ago that her sister went to a Payless shoe store in Compton, California (city with a high percentage of Black residents). All the shoes were cheap and tacky looking. She couldn’t find one pair of shoes she wanted, so she went to a Payless in Torrance (city with over 50% White residents, very small percentage of Black residents). That Payless had a MUCH BETTER selection of shoes. >:-(
This is a supply and demand issue. The demand for racisum exceeds the supply. Then you get this nonsense.
All these people who think that racism exists in a bubble that doesn't permeate the whole of society! Even if the stores are not being deliberately, maliciously racist, they are operating within a system that disadvantages people based solely on their skin. Unconscious bias is a real thing and it has a knock-on and cumulative effect. Perhaps shampoo for afro-Caribbean hair genuinely is shoplifted more often (I have no way to know, but people seem pretty adamant it's all inventory led and therefore discrimination free). BUT if you think that's because black people are inherently more likely to be thieves then you are holding racist opinions! *If* it's true it's a consequence of racism and the oppression and disadvantages it causes. These examples are just a reflection of the racism in the wider world.
Some people can't handle criticism... Downvoting your comment for stating a fact is immature and silly in the least. I worked in a supermarket for ten years when I was in school and uni. And I completely agree with you! Denying racism and racial profiling is easy for those who don't want anything to change. Of course not all examples listed are correct, but it shows you the broader picture and why making a change is up to us.
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I'm sorry, but I worked inventory control. The cops didn't tell us who was stealing our s**t. We didn't care so much the who in fact, all we cared about was preventing s**t from getting stolen. We ONLY looked at shrink. Raw numbers. If item X had a lot of shrink, item X got locked up.
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They lock it up when it gets stolen often, they don't lock it up when stealing isn't much of an issue. So if the store near you locks s**t up, then it says more about your neighbourhood than it does about the store owner. Locking s**t up is an reaction to an action.
In my neighborhood Walgreens, the men's Mach 3 razors have theft prevention. The women's razors, of equal value, don't.
Load More Replies... I think this whole racism thing is getting out of hand and people are becoming paranoid seeing it everywhere. These things can be explained by locking up high theft items, different production batches, people hoarding and a maximum sales limit, people actually having black hair....sooo many other reasonable explanations. even the fact that this is considered "racist" is a gimps of the dystopian society that is in the US. If even these mundane things are RACIST and trigger people then everything is and the word RACIST loses all if it's significance. I personally think that words like "RACIST, BIGGOT, HOMOPHOBE, TRANSFOBE" should not be used lightly.
I would agree that the racism thing is way out of hand. Been 155 years since slavery ended and we still disproportional arrest people of color, given them higher sentences for the same crimes, drastically under fund their schools, teach people of color they have a lesser value, and then call them paranoid when they point out injustice. Let's agree that these items are high theft items. Notice how they are not TVs or electronics. They are basic necessities. When you have high theft of cheap necessities that are clearly designated for one particular race...doesn't that show you that there is a high degree of racism that they face? May be if they had better schools, were more likely to be hired, or just didn't get arrested for being black they wouldn't have to steal shampoo.
Load More Replies... If people would stop stealing s**t then they wouldn't have to lock everything up!
People need to stop using the Dove commercial as an example of racism. It was taken out of context. It's one of those, there are honest to God problems and that just isn't one of them.
Exactly. I suggest people read the 'I am the woman in the racist Dove ad' article on the Guardian. It's a chilling example of how mob mentality and things taken out of context are f*****g scary. The ad being removed is a bad thing. Here is a direct quote from the black model in the photo: "While I agree with Dove’s response to unequivocally apologise for any offense caused, they could have also defended their creative vision, and their choice to include me, an unequivocally dark-skinned black woman, as a face of their campaign. I am not just some silent victim of a mistaken beauty campaign. I am strong, I am beautiful, and I will not be erased."
Load More Replies... Two points: 1) Large stores like CVS lock high-theft items up based on inventory data, not racism. It's inconvenient for the sales associates and expensive to lock merchandise up, so they're doing it for a reason and they occasionally reevaluate. 2) A lot of shoplifting is somewhat organized and resold to shady corner stores. That is why you see Tide, soap, energy drinks and energy shots locked up. These stores tend do tend to be in low income areas with minority customers.
That Dove commercial I remember. It was a whole slew of women, of all colors, showing that it's good for everyone's skin. It was not at all racist.
Having worked in retail for many years I can assure you that if it's locked up it's because it's been stolen often. The store sees the trend and reacts, simple as that. If you look hard enough you can find racism anywhere. As far as the price differences, I can't really say. Maybe one should look at the ingredients in the hair care, maybe it costs more to make. Just a thought....
You know why certain products are locked? Because they have a history of being stolen. My Walmart has all the wireless stuff locked behind glass doors, even cheap cases and cords. Why? Because of theft. Walmart near work doesn't have the same problem, nor the one in Knightdale. The SJWs practicing Victimhoodology should ask why these products need to be locked up. Perhaps talk to the store manager and see the data about theft that led to this.
This is not about racism, this is about economics. 100% these items are stolen the most. It sucks for the rest of us who don't steal.
"the white girl kleptos of the shoplifting community" WTF. But if we say "the black girl kleptos of the hairproduct shoplifting community", that'racist and nazi and whatnot. Double standards much?
Hell, in my town they lock up the condoms and Magic the Gathering Cards. I think locking up items has more to do with rate of theft than anything else.
oh no! if locking up condoms leads to un-wanted pregnancy that's so awful. I can't really offer a solution, but it's thought provoking.
Load More Replies... This is about theft and economics, not race. The stores exist to make money and part of that is about reducing loss. It's the same root cause regarding lack of grocery stores in certain areas. The shops are literally stolen out of business. There are several pharmacies, gas stations, and other stores that are closing permanently after the riots.
Yes, I feel so relieved that at least Bored-Pandas still are intelligent
Load More Replies... Ok, most of this seems ridiculous. All this is simply happening because those products happen to get stolen the most where these stores are. And what does the tide picture even have to do with the topic? Is there tide for different races now????
I am a Caucasian who lives in a predominantly African American county. When I started to notice items (i.e. razor blades, soap) being locked up in my area pharmacy which is run predominantly by African Americans, I was told that they had to start locking things up since they were being shoplifted and losing way too much money. Shoplifting has nothing to do with race and everything to do with not being taught by ones parents about right versus wrong or being taught that stealing is wrong!
Walmart person here, would like to share a bit of my perspective. First thing to keep in mind is that none of this (at least to my knowledge) comes from the top. It could be a manager's decision, or a district manager's decision, but it's not written into Walmart Law in a book somewhere; Walmart can be evil, but it's not the devil. If a manager decries it, the people under him are stuck going along with it, no matter how stupid or pointless. Second, there is the issue of theft. Strange sh-- becomes targets for theft. I have to spider-wire my children's tablets and watches because even though they're all $50-100 and never ever sell, they are immediately stolen without security. On the other hand, a lot of items stolen are things people need and can't afford. I get upset about stolen knives and drugs, but I can't fault people for stolen baby formula and baby clothes, etc. (out of space, will continue in comments)
I get all of this, except the thrift store one. Before Covid, I would be at thrift stores at least 4 days a week (it is how I make a living). Often two IDENTICAL items (not different colors, brands, sizes - but identical items) will be priced differently. It is because different people do the pricing every day. And so two identical plates will be priced differently. And most stores won't match prices. One plate is 99 cents, and one is $1.50. Too bad.
Life experiences teach most people "what" to expect. If a store never rings up black hair care products due to theft?!! Then someone (black or white or whatever) is stealing them! Not racist at all. Why are people always looking for this s**t?
If you look hard enough for something to be offended by, you certainly WILL find it...You will never be happy if you are constantly offended!
At Walmart and other markets, they've been locking up almost anything that might fit in a purse or pocket. Make-up, perfumes, etc. It doesn't have anything to do with anything but theft.
In the Dove commercial the black woman took her shirt off to become the white woman. The white woman took her shirt off to become the hispanic woman. Only the first two women were shown.
What is the difference with Black Girl sunscreen? Isn’t sunscreen the same for all skin types? I admit I need a high spf because I burn bad. I’m so confused why you’d need a completely separate product that’s probably same except overpriced. Maybe don’t fall for these marketing gimmicks? It’s not racist to put more frequently bought items in prominent display. I assume high theft items in more impoverished areas are locked up. Stores don’t give a c**p about your skin color, they care about loss prevention and profits. It’s more of a problem as to why people steal but why stores try to prevent loss. Bigger issue folks.
This makes a good point, but the Dove ad is showing that their products are for women of all skin types and colors. The person posting that should have at least watched the ad. And why is locking up laundry detergent racist?
If a particular demographic of people have a very high level of shoplifting particular products, then what would be the "logical" thing to do? Don't bother answering. You won't be able to do it. Instead, you must forget logic and follow Political Correctness. Sorry store owners, you simply are not allowed to prevent your stock from being stolen. If you object to this, you're a f*****g racist and should be stoned to death. It's a waste of time locking the stuff up anyway because sooner or later your store is going to be looted and burnt to the ground. This is the "New World". Deal with it, or sell your shops and go on unemployment you unreasonable racist bastards. (Note to the not so bright ... this is "Sarcasm" ... Google it.)
That guy that posted the Dove commercial as an example is a malicious piece of human trash... there was nothing wrong with that commercial but he took on bit out of context and completely twisted the whole narrative... people like this are the worst
Blacks commit vastly disproportionate amounts of violent crime. WHY CAN'T THE POLICE JUST LEAVE BLACKS ALONE? Blacks are stealing the damn Afro sheen. WHY DO YOU HAVE TO LOCK UP THE AFRO SHEEN? ........... wake up people.
In my nearest supermarket Green halapeno tabasco is in a locked container. No other sauce (even other Tabascos) is. What does that mean?
I am a Caucasian who lives in a predominantly African American county. When I go into my pharmacy which is manned mostly by African Americans, I have to go to them when I find things like razor blades locked up. This was not always the case and so I asked them why they are locking these things up and their answer was simple. They keep stealing these items and they are losing lots of money. This is not racism. This is lack of upbringing by parents that you should not steal!
I am confused about the tide being locked up. Like I know there is a black market for tide but white people use tide too. My family has always used it.
What is so different and wonderful about Tide that there is a black market for it?
Load More Replies... They lock up the items that are stolen more often. If things are stolen a lot then it gets a security tag or locked behind a glass case. It’s extremely unfortunate that there are other things pictured that is not fair and that’s something I can not ex plain but the things stolen is what is “lost merchandise for the business”. It can equal to thousands and thousands if something isn’t done. It’s sad they have to spend extra time and effort to keep their products from being taken. We can all blame racism or we can do something about bad people ruining it for others
I can answer the Canadian thrift store question. Different people price the materials subjectively. I've often seen two donated items that are exactly the same priced differently.
Wait. What's wrong with the Dove ad campaign? I've watch the whole thing. And it's different than what just the two pictures are put side by side.
If darker shades are locked up mayyyybe darker shades are stolen more often? If it happened at my store I would do the same. If you dont want to see these kinds of things then dont steal it in the first place.
Sick of this c**p, everything is racist, media brainwashing at it's best
So now you guys see racism even up your a*s; maybe you should blow up Mount Rushmore for any of 'the guys' is black! How about the American constitution or The Founding Fathers of the United States? Really? Even the toilet was invented by a white dude.
In a lot of these cases, the theft prevention teams in the head offices of retailers will see a sku number, how much that product loses through theft overall. They then decide whether to add theft prevention devices based on this information, they don't even know what the product is, it's just a sku number. It does show there is wider social mobility issue in wider society. People stealing these things do so because they are in poverty.
Each box has different colors. I seriously thought it was about the color of the hair. Very sorry to have to witness another example of racism. Let's please ALL come together as one!.
I went to get a pair of good nail clippers and I noticed that the African-American products were kept under lock and key in the "beauty" department. I looked for some hair gel and noticed every jar I picked up to open and smell had someone's fingers dipped into them. Every one. This was Walmart in northern California.
Eww. Sad thing is, a single person can ruin a whole shelf of jars, but you just can't stand there and watch everyone like a creep.
Load More Replies... This is why we can’t have nice things. White people are not the superior race (I’m white myself), white people also commit crimes, no race is better and no race is worse.
These things are locked up because they are most frequently stolen, it has nothing to do with race. Locking things up is difficult and could result in less profit for the store so if it’s not necessary they will not do it.
Load More Replies... I believe the Tide products being locked up was during the teens eating Tidepods pandemic...
But that picture shows BOTTLES of LIQUID Tide. Not packs of Tidepods.
Load More Replies... I was called the Decoy. While I was followed around the store, my white pals robbed the place blind. I learned to pick a better class of friends, but learned a valuable lesson too.
Most of these give pause to think. But I have to quibble about the dolls in the thrift shop. These things are priced according to age and condition. I would have to see the condition of both dolls before I could make a definitive judgment that the pricing was unfair. However, the white doll was priced higher. So obviously the thrift store was not trying to price gouge the potential black buyer of the black doll. I know with male/female discrimination when two products are exactly the same but are designated for male and female the price for the female is usually higher. Women do not see that as a signal that the product is more valuable to them, they see that as prejudice against them. So it's really hard to determine that there is some kind of prejudice going on with the dolls.
Look the store is going to end up doing what they want in the end, they have inventories that can prove pilferage and loss. If something keeps getting pilfered they can stop carrying it altogether, and if they are a big box store with a website you will be able to order online. And that will likely go for all of it, not just the products for Black hair or skin tones. I visited Dollar General in an ordinary part of town and they had laundry detergent under lock and key, also due to theft. And then recently I watched a store video where 100's of people stormed it (this was way before protests) and cleared it out in minutes. So here is what will likely happen: You go to the front of the store and ask for what you want. You inspect the items they bring up and decide yes or no, then pay and go home. No more browsing, no more self help. It has already started with the online order and pickup. Welcome to the 20's.
I'm sorry but this is the drip, drip effect of subconscious racism. In the UK most of the black hair shops are fun by South East asians, the follow you round the store and only smile when they're taking your money. I see black brown women like myself being observed and then spend lots of money in these shops. And no there aren't local black business to buy from otherwise they wouldn't get my money . Unless you are a person of colour you have no idea what it is like being stereotyped all the time. It wears you out and I live in the UK so goodness knows what it's like in America
I think people have lost their minds. In the community where I live, all the products are priced pretty much the same, there are specific products for people of color, example hair products, but they're not locked up,nor are they pricier than commiserate products. Get a life, people.
Actually, at the drift store it might not be racism. They usually price by damage of the second hand goods. This is just from my experience, though. Good and eye opening article anyway!
I think those things were locked up because that was the thing the get stolen most of the time.
I live in a very small town with a lot of redneck types (trust me I’m a lesbian and catch c**p quite often) but our Walmart’s only lock up cologne and perfumes. I’ve never seen one lock up hair products! This is insane! Believe me I’m white as hell and I know PLENTY of white folks who shoplift and rob but I don’t know one single black person who does. I have had friends of different races my entire life and the white ones have done more BS out of everyone. I don’t think it’s that one race does this more than another I just think black folks get reported more often because people are racist buttholes!
I agree that theft is more socioeconomic than race. What do you mean by “reported” more often? Reported by employees to the police?
Load More Replies... Today Walgreen's and CVS announced they will no longer be locking up cosmetics that are designed for people of color. I guess someone there reads Twitter.
Fortunately this doesn't happen in the UK. Im shocked at the Dove advert, so quickly watched a YT video. I don't think it's racist as after the really white girl was a more olive skinned model, admittedly they should have chosen another skintone such as Asian , to make the point of Dove being suitable for all skin much clearer.
If you watched the commercial then you would know that they did. The black girl changed to white, then the white girl changed to Asian and the Asian girl changed to brown etcetera.
Load More Replies... Systemic* Don't write about it if you don't even know the right word to use
In my local supermarket tinned corned beef and mayonnaise is locked up in a cage- guess the people who had been stealing it really like corned beef sandwiches!
Mayo should always be locked up, it's disgusting.
Load More Replies... Ok I am 2 sided on this because I see both sides. 1. The companies lock items up or add theft deterrent devices because they are "High Theft" and not because it's racism. White people steal soo much where I am and it's all the crack heads and druggies. 2. The price is most likely higher for the black community because the black market (no pun intended or racism intended) is a smaller market than the white or rest of the market. The products for black hair care is unique to their needs. As a white person, I would never need that product for my hair. FYI I do not want to say that there is not racism, but things like these in these large big box stores are planned based on theft. I work for a big box store that was not in the pics and we put security devices on items because their highly stolen stolenitems.
People steal. It has nothing to with race. Think of this if you continually accuse your partner of cheating, one day they will. They think, “well they think I am anyway so why not?” That same mentality goes across the board. If you treat people like they’re criminals, then they’ll act like one. Treating others with kindness is free. If you’re so afraid of stealing buy security cameras.
According to your logic, if you continually accuse white people of racism, one day they will become racists. And how security cameras help? Most of these stores have them, but police does not care about small item theft.
Load More Replies... My Walmart locks up some of the electronics but what offended me when they first opened was that they had the blatant video cameras with monitors protecting the baby formula. All I could think if parents had to steal to feed their babies what does that say about our society?!? As for the makeup and hair care products you should either lock them all up or lock up none of them. Kleptos come in all types.
Guys, you're missing the point. We all know that the products are locked up because they get stolen. The question isn't THAT they get stolen, it's WHY. When you are a person of color in a society built on systemic racism that is designed to keep you poor, sometimes the only way to get things is to steal them. I mean, look at the pictures. In most cases the items are necessities. Maybe the solution is to build a society where the color of your skin doesn't determine whether or not you get adequate education. food, housing and jobs. You're being called on to understand that there is a deeper issue here. Try to look past your privilege and see the other side for a change.
What privilege? Being born with white skin is not a privilege, it is because your parents were also born with white skin. White skin is a fact of genetics, not privilege.
Load More Replies... To add, this is one major reason Race is still an issue, people are being psychologically conditioned to see racism in everything. They will psychoanalyze anything in order to find something racist about it.
Soo many jumps to conclusions here. So many messing up of correlation and causality... Wish I had had popcorn while reading these comments.
I noticed this type of racism at music stores back in the day (when we purchased CDs). Rap CDs didn't go on sale very often and even at regular price they were often a dollar or two more than other genres.
That is because items that are sold less need to eventually bring in the same amount of money which makes them more expensive.
Load More Replies... Why did the lock them up in the first place. What was their reasoning? I have seen various neutral items locked too.
Theft prevention. They are the items that get stolen the most.
Load More Replies... I went to the Body Shop the other day to get this foundation that I've been using for a while. My skin tone is light to medium brown. When I went to grab the foundation that I usually get I noticed that it was the darkest one that they had available. Confused I asked one of the employees in the shop if they had changed their foundation number system since the last time I was here. She said no, all the darker foundations can be found online. I put it back and left the store. I haven't shopped there since. It is so unfair that they don't provide all of the options in store. Sure it can be bought online, but how are you supposed to test to see if you have the right colour for your skin?
Jesus Christ, just go back, most likely they were just out of stock for a while.
Load More Replies... It saddens me that ppl are so blind they are literally denying and justifying blatant racism. Open your eyes for heavens sake.
Rather than being sad, perhaps make a logical argument why you see obvious racism here. You could also argue the fallacies in logic of some alternative theories you disagree with.
Load More Replies... I smell White Privilege all over this comments section... (And appreciate the accurate comments about WHY people might steal hair/body care products -- because we still have systemic racism that keeps people trapped in poor neighborhoods where they can't afford basic necessities. I'm not condoning stealing at all, it's wrong, but even more wrong is the system that creates these kinds of inequities.)
How is it racisme if that's the product that get's stolen most often... Oh wait that most meen that some people are more criminal then others.... But no that can't possible be right
I could (if barely) understand locked up items in the stores, but not the difference in pricing. Even toy babies... What's wrong with this society? 🤨🤦♀️
Why would anyone want to open a store? Price one item higher than another is racism because apparently you like punishing a race by charging more. Conversely, pricing that item more cheaply is seen as implying that race is poorer thus racism. Price one doll lower than another and it’s inferred you place less worth on one race over another. Maybe it’s inferred it’s cheaper because that race is poorer. Better make it more expensive. Now you are punishing a race. Make it the same. Now you can’t adjust to overstocking. Regardless, it must be racism. Skepticism of given narratives and critical thinking skills are trading at a discount.
Load More Replies... This isn't about the "stealing" issue, but it's related to corporate racism: I heard from a Black co-worker some years ago that her sister went to a Payless shoe store in Compton, California (city with a high percentage of Black residents). All the shoes were cheap and tacky looking. She couldn’t find one pair of shoes she wanted, so she went to a Payless in Torrance (city with over 50% White residents, very small percentage of Black residents). That Payless had a MUCH BETTER selection of shoes. >:-(
This is a supply and demand issue. The demand for racisum exceeds the supply. Then you get this nonsense.
All these people who think that racism exists in a bubble that doesn't permeate the whole of society! Even if the stores are not being deliberately, maliciously racist, they are operating within a system that disadvantages people based solely on their skin. Unconscious bias is a real thing and it has a knock-on and cumulative effect. Perhaps shampoo for afro-Caribbean hair genuinely is shoplifted more often (I have no way to know, but people seem pretty adamant it's all inventory led and therefore discrimination free). BUT if you think that's because black people are inherently more likely to be thieves then you are holding racist opinions! *If* it's true it's a consequence of racism and the oppression and disadvantages it causes. These examples are just a reflection of the racism in the wider world.
Some people can't handle criticism... Downvoting your comment for stating a fact is immature and silly in the least. I worked in a supermarket for ten years when I was in school and uni. And I completely agree with you! Denying racism and racial profiling is easy for those who don't want anything to change. Of course not all examples listed are correct, but it shows you the broader picture and why making a change is up to us.
Load More Replies... I'm sorry, but I worked inventory control. The cops didn't tell us who was stealing our s**t. We didn't care so much the who in fact, all we cared about was preventing s**t from getting stolen. We ONLY looked at shrink. Raw numbers. If item X had a lot of shrink, item X got locked up.
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