For independent garden centres, preventing theft isn't simply about protecting stock at the main exit. High-value and desirable products can be targeted throughout the store, while vulnerable areas such as rear exits and customer toilets can create additional opportunities for theft. Old Railway Garden Centre in Mid Wales knows this only too well. After experiencing persistent tag removal by determined thieves, Chirp Protect allowed the team to create an invisible security boundary protecting both targeted stock and vulnerable store locations.
Katy Eckley
Old Railway Garden Centre
“We were struggling with the removal of tags... It was worth every penny.”
The family-run garden centre was already using a security system, but the team found that determined thieves were cutting tags off products or using magnets to remove them completely — allowing merchandise to leave the store without triggering an alarm.
Protecting the products thieves actually want
Rather than trying to tag everything, Old Railway Garden Centre focused on products that were either historically targeted or particularly valuable and easy to steal.
These included recognisable brands such as YETI, LEGO, and Yankee Candle, as well as chemicals, alcohol, and other high-risk products. Chirp Protect's range of tamper-resistant tags also gives the team greater flexibility when protecting products that can be difficult to secure with traditional tags, including bottles, jars, and other awkwardly shaped merchandise.
Protection beyond the checkout
One of the key advantages for Old Railway Garden Centre is the ability to protect specific areas of the store — not just the main entrance or exit.
Discreet Chirp Edge hubs have been positioned around vulnerable locations, including the customer toilets and a previously vulnerable rear exit. Additional hubs protect other key exit points around the store. This creates an invisible security boundary, with an alarm triggered if a tagged product is moved into a protected area.
Chirp Protect's ITS Box units also provide additional audible alerts in high-risk departments and areas where staff may not always be present.
You don't need to tag everything
Old Railway Garden Centre has taken a targeted approach rather than tagging every product on every shelf. As Katy explains, highlighting just a few products can sometimes be enough to act as a visible deterrent.
The team recently discovered bottles of concentrated Roundup that had been abandoned with the alarm sounding — suggesting that the audible alert had successfully deterred the attempted theft.
A practical approach to reducing shrinkage
With the cost of theft continuing to put pressure on garden centres, Old Railway Garden Centre wanted a solution that could complement its existing security measures while protecting the products and areas most at risk.
Watch the full case study video above to see how Old Railway Garden Centre is using Chirp Protect across its store and hear directly from Katy about the challenges they faced and the difference the system is making.
