Sainsbury’s shoppers have expressed confusion over the purpose of the plastic flaps, often known as ‘pushers’ or ‘dividers’, and have taken to social media to ask for an explanation
Customers have been left puzzled after noticing plastic barriers on supermarket shelves preventing them from effortlessly picking up the products on their shopping lists. One shopper said they popped into their local Sainsbury’s in London and were taken aback to discover plastic sliders obscuring portions of the coffee aisle.
Taking to social media, they questioned: “What is the purpose of these plastic slidey things? Seen in Sainsbury’s in London. Slidey plastic tabs before you can access the product.”
While some customers were confused, others were prompt to clarify the rationale behind them. One user said: “You can’t sweep an armful of whatever into a bag and leg it. Petty crime is reduced by degree – you can’t really stop determined thieves, but you can put a lot of them off with minor speed bumps.
“Also, when I lived in an earthquake-prone country, they stopped everything falling off during tremors – but that’s less relevant here.”
Another added: “I wasn’t aware people were doing this as we don’t currently have these in my area, but what you’re saying does make sense. If people can shoplift multiple items instead of just one, obviously they are going to do so.”
A third user recounted their own encounter, saying: “I was chatting to a cashier at my local Tesco Express. It’s a small place.
“They said that one branch had £30k of theft in a single month – people coming in, sweeping a shelf full of meat, chocolate or washing powder into bags and running off. Staggering.”
The plastic sliders – frequently called “pushers” or “dividers” – have been implemented to combat a stealing technique known as “shelf sweeping”, where complete rows of items are swept into a bag in one swift motion.
They are now being introduced in shops throughout the UK, including leading supermarkets like Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
According to Facewatch, UK retailers suffered a record £2.2 billion loss to shoplifting between 2023 and 2024, with the pattern anticipated to persist into 2025 and 2026.
The organisation reports retailers are now investing approximately £1.8 billion annually on crime prevention – taking the overall expense of retail crime to roughly £4 billion each year.
While large-scale theft by organised gangs has been extensively documented, retail staff say the profile of shoplifters is shifting, with individuals from all backgrounds now participating.
And while some may view it as a “victimless” crime, specialists caution the long-term consequences could affect everyone – with increasing theft placing pressure on supermarkets to raise prices.
