UK retailer Tesco, has announced that it will increase security measures across its stores amid the desperation of the cost-of-living crisis.

Recently “desperate people” have been turning to shoplifting, the Retail Gazette reported.

Chairman John Allan said shoppers will see extra security tags on food as well as an increased security presence in-store.

“I think shoplifting is a concern and getting the police to take action and respond to cases where we and other retailers – and this is a concern right across the retail trade – is an issue,” Allan commented.

“I don’t sympathise with people who shoplift but I can understand desperate people taking desperate measures sometimes when they’ve literally got no money left,” he added.

In addition, Allan said that Tesco will “have to pass higher supply prices on to customers”.

Speaking to Times Radio, the chair of the supermarket giant claims to “resist price increases” from its suppliers as long as the grocer “sensibly can”.

However, he said if suppliers are facing major cost increases, sooner or later the price increases would have to be passed onto the grocer and then to the consumer.

Tesco is also helping customers by showing them the benefits of buying Tesco private labels, as well as price matching with discount grocer Aldi, Allan explained.

According to Allan, three quarters of Tesco’s customers are concerned about inflation and this figure increases every month, with customers now having to deal not only with inflation, but also future costs on energy bills.