Chickens tagged to stop theft

A supermarket is putting security tags on its frozen chickens to stop the birds being stolen from the shelves, according to reports.

Sainsbury's has introduced the measure at its Hampden Park store near Eastbourne, East Sussex, where frozen chickens have been alarmed with the security devices usually used to prevent theft of expensive alcohol and high-value clothing.

The supermarket is believed to have taken the move after recording a rise in shoplifting of the chickens - both the top-of-the-range organic birds, priced at £8, and the budget ones priced at £2.

Shoplifters trying to steal the birds will set off an alarm as they try to leave the store.

Grade A chickens at the supermarket now come with metal tags which are swiped at the checkout.

A Sainsbury's spokesman said: "Security tags have been in place for about a year on higher-value goods across the store.

"The security stickers have been put on not just chickens but also wines, spirits and health and beauty products."

Rival supermarket Tesco, where a budget chicken costs £2.79 and a free range corn-fed chicken costs £4.78, said it was not aware of chicken theft being a problem in its stores.

Sales of free range and organic chickens jumped following campaigns highlighting the plight of intensively-farmed birds, the RSPCA said in May.

Supermarket figures showed significant increases in sales of higher-welfare chickens following the campaign by celebrity chefs Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Jamie Oliver in January.

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