Protecting retail assets through disruption

At least 3,000 businesses across France have been affected by the recent unrest, with retail losses estimated at hundreds of millions of euros. Carrefour reported damage to 50 stores, including 20 that were looted, while individual retailers in Paris reported losses exceeding €200,000.
 
The experience has left retailers deeply concerned about the security of their premises and the potential loss of stock and valuables. Many are now looking at how to strengthen physical protection, including what can be done to limit access to valuable assets if a building’s external security is breached.
 
Petra Grandinson, VP Europe at Gunnebo Safe Storage, examines how retailers can assess their security requirements and identify appropriate measures to protect their store.
 

Looking beyond the building's perimeter

The looting in France has highlighted a difficult question for retailers: how much protection remains if intruders get inside? Strengthening internal doors and access is one part of the response, but the security of valuable stock also depends on the safe protection within the building.
 
Once entry has been forced, the layout of the premises, the location of stock and the security of internal areas can influence how much is exposed to theft.
 
Here, stockrooms and cash-handling areas may contain substantial quantities of merchandise, cash and other assets. Their location and the security separating them from the rest of the building deserve careful attention, particularly where a retailer holds high-value goods or large volumes of stock.
 
The priority is to understand which assets would be most vulnerable following a breach and how to enhance the existing arrangements to provide adequate protection, with minimal disruption.
 
A retailer handling jewellery or designer goods may need to secure a relatively small quantity of high-value stock, while another may need to protect larger volumes of merchandise or cash awaiting collection. The type and value of the assets, where they are held, and the building's layout and construction all influence where additional physical protection is needed and how it can be incorporated into the premises.
 

Making physical security decisions

Retailers then need to determine which areas and assets require additional protection and what level of security is appropriate for each. This calls for consideration of the physical security and safe storage within the building during working hours, including the separation between public areas, staff-only spaces and locations where valuable goods are held.
 
The specification needs to reflect the type and volume of assets, accessibility and the level of resistance required, together with the building itself to ensure a safe operational flow. A secure area must be supported by suitable surrounding construction, while doors and access points need to provide the required level of protection.
 
The position of the area is also relevant, as are the routes staff use to move stock and cash and the frequency with which authorised access is required.
 
Within stores, the available space, building construction and day-to-day operations will influence how additional security can be introduced. Assessing these factors helps retailers identify where existing arrangements can be strengthened, whether safe storage areas need to be adapted and which measures will provide the required level of protection without disrupting store operations.
 

Bringing specialist expertise into the specification

Physical security is best planned when the retailer's operational requirements and the building's construction, whether new build or a present site, are considered together. 
 
A risk assessment early in the planning process, allows for the location and creation of bespoke secure areas, the choice of doors and the access arrangements to be considered before plans are finalised. For existing premises, the same process can help determine whether current arrangements can be strengthened with security technology and safe storage or whether changes to the layout are needed.
 
Options may include high-security safes for cash and smaller valuables, or strongrooms and vault doors where larger quantities of stock require a dedicated secure area. Security doors with protective grilles may also be appropriate for locations. The decision should follow the assessment of the site and the assets involved, rather than starting with a particular product.
 
Physical protection should also be considered alongside the wider security arrangements already in place. Access control and visual verification together with their relationship with the building management systems need to be understood as part of the overall design. Smart systems can support access management and monitoring, while the physical construction of secure spaces and doors provides a separate layer of protection.
 

Working in partnership on physical security

For retailers looking to strengthen protection, understanding the range of options available becomes a critical component to the proactive approach to adopting security technology.
 
From specification, Gunnebo Safe Storage is working in partnership with retailers to explore the technologies and solutions suited to their premises, stock and valuables, from high-security safes to strongrooms, vault doors and security doors with protective grilles.
 
This includes considering tailored requirements where standard solutions may not meet the needs of a particular site, taking account of the building's construction, the assets to be protected and how staff need to access secure areas. By being involved at the design stage, retailers can assess the available options and determine how physical protection can form part of their more stringent security arrangements.