Clear majority of retailers find video surveillance effective

Lund, Sweden

"This survey shows that there is great interest in video surveillance and security issues within retail. Retailers need both education and support to be able to make the right decision when choosing surveillance systems for their stores. We'd really like to let out members know the benefits of the new technology," says Dick Malmlund, security manager Swedish Trade Federation.

According to the survey the main reasons shop owners install video surveillance is to help prevent or investigate thefts, robberies and shoplifting, and increase security for the staff. 66 percent of those who have installed surveillance said they feel the security for staff has increased, and more than half have experienced a reduction in theft, robbery and shoplifting.

Nearly 60 percent say they have not experienced any adverse effects of surveillance at all. However, three out of ten have indicated poor image quality as a negative effect. Of these, 70 % have analog cameras in their systems. Analog cameras provide significantly lower resolution and lower quality of recorded material than today's digital cameras.

"If the usability of a monitoring system is the most important issue for shop owners, the focus must be on image quality. Some shop owners feel that it is expensive to install IP systems, but this technology is more flexible and future-proofed than analog. They can also contribute to business value through other functions, such as remote monitoring and footfall analysis" says Magnus Zederfeldt, who is responsible for Axis Communications sales in the Nordic and Baltic Countries.

Half of the respondents are interested in learning more about video surveillance functions and how they can benefit their business. Functions such as footfall analysis and heat maps can identify the most crowded areas in a shop and identify how long people spend in cerain areas. With this type of information the business is in a better position to manage the flow of people, which can help increase customer satisfaction and ceate more effectrive product positioning.