Could Waitrose’s shoplifting saga pose a real reputational risk?

Waitrose employee Walker Smith was recently sacked for tackling a shoplifter who was attempting to steal chocolate eggs. The resulting outcry has seen the upmarket grocery chain criticised by figures such as Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp and Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage.

Waitrose, for its part, has said that current reporting “does not cover the full facts of the situation.” With pressure mounting on the chain to reinstate Smith, will the supermarket take a significant hit over this story?

Data from YouGov BrandIndex shows that Buzz scores (measure whether the public have recently heard anything positive or negative about a brand) declined from 13.1 to 10.0 (-3.1) between 3-6 April (3 day moving average).

It’s not a calamitous drop, and Waitrose’s average brand metrics over the past year are strong compared to other supermarkets. Impression scores, which measure general sentiment, are at 33.3; more than three times the average supermarket brand (10.2). It also has Quality scores (51.6 vs. 8.2), and Consideration scores, which measure whether consumers would consider using one brand over others (20.2 vs. 10.2).

The most relevant measure for this particular story may be Reputation scores, which track whether consumers would be proud or embarrassed to work for a company. Waitrose’s scores are 34; more than eight times those of its competitors in the wider supermarket sector (4.2). This sense that Waitrose is a prestigious brand worth working for may be part of why the story attracted so much attention: Smith has been quoted describing the chain as his “family”.

Shoplifting’s increased prominence may also play into the story’s presence in the headlines and the public mind.

YouGov data from last month showed that three-quarters of Britons (74%) believe it is a serious crime, and that a third (34%) said they had personally witnessed it in the past 12 months.

It’s too early to tell what the full impact of this story will be. Waitrose is perhaps strong enough to absorb this kind of PR blow, but it may want to avoid attracting any more adverse attention from politicians, headline writers, and the public. In the meantime, Iceland – never one to sleep on a difficult moment for a rival – has offered Smith a job.

This article originally appeared in City A.M.
Image: Getty