WALGREENS has unveiled new anti-theft measures at a re-designed store and there’s only two aisles of products that customers are allowed to touch.

Some shoppers in Chicago, Illinois, aren’t too sure about the new kiosk technology rolled out at the downtown Walgreens.

Executives at the company made significant changes to prevent thefts that have been on the rise in grocery stores around the United States since last year, per CNN.

However, earlier this year, during an earnings call with Walgreens investors, the company’s chief financial officer James Kehoe noted that they may have been a bit dramatic.

“Maybe we cried too much last year,” Kehoe said, per CWB Chicago.

Either way, it’s too late for Windy City residents as a redesigned Walgreens with considerable anti-theft measures opened this week.

Customers will now be unable to shop “for themselves,” save two small isles of “essentials,” according to CWB.

ORDERING BY KIOSK

The news outlet shared a photo of a digital kiosk, where customers choose items they would like to buy.

Shoppers then pick up their products at a checkout counter after an employee retrieves the shopping haul.

Walgreens issued a statement about the changes to a customer who feared the store was closed for good.

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“This redesigned store will have the latest in e-commerce offerings to increase customer service, mitigate theft, and increase safety for our customers and employees,” the retailer wrote in an email, per CWB.

The pharmacy at the Chicago location also has a kiosk system.

Two employees monitor the “essentials” section where you can “shop for yourself.”

The area includes two rows of shelves that are under five feet tall, so team members can observe what customers are doing at all times.

Again, any other items aside from the two small aisles of essentials require customers to use the kiosk station to digitally select items and pick them up later on.

“Let us do the shopping,” read a sign sitting next to the order station.

Shoppers have no choice if they want to obtain anything from Walgreen’s “full selection.”

The sign also urged Chicago customers to “relax while we shop for you” and informed them that they could pick their items up at the pickup/FedEx/Western Union counter, CWB reported.

A company spokesperson told the publication on Thursday that Walgreens desires to improve the customer experience with the changes, and the Chicago location serves as a test run.

They said the retailer is “testing a new experience at this store with new concepts, technologies, and practices to enhance the experiences of our customers and team members.”

“It will continue to offer retail products and pharmacy services, just with a new look and feel that focuses on shopping digitally for convenience.”

The spokesperson continued: “Inside the store, customers will find an area where they can pick-up orders, digital kiosks for placing an order, as well as an area to shop for essential items.”

‘TREATED LIKE A CRIMINAL’

Despite the digital upgrades and efforts to ensure a safe shopping experience, customers went online to voice their disapproval of the changes, as reported by Lipstick Alley.

“This is dumb. Sadly, I can see more stores doing this. We are definitely living in the twilight zone now,” one person wrote.

“I knew this would happen. Next stop will be having to scan an ID or credit card before entering the store at all,” another said.

A third added: “And this is why I do 95% of my shopping online. I don’t appreciate being treated like a criminal.”

Others defended Walgreens’ decision and noted that shoplifting and crime are to blame for the new experience at the Chicago location.

“This is where we are headed. Criminality has infested American culture. Companies are going to do what they can to prevent theft, which includes making it more difficult to steal,” a shopper noted.

“This was definitely coming. Shoplifting is beyond out of control,” another commented.

“I’m not too surprised and I’m not mad at it. Stealing has gotten out of control and there is now whole online communities dedicated to it,” echoed a third.

For more related content, check out The U.S. Sun’s coverage of a Walmart shopper who recently fumed over the retailer’s anti-theft measures.

The U.S. Sun also has the story of how Costco’s CFO recently broke his silence after a warning about self-checkout theft in stores.