One-litre bottles of extra-virgin olive oil are selling for as much as 14.5 euros ($15.77) in some supermarkets, propelling olive oil into the category of products retailers fit with security tags, alongside spirits, cosmetics and appliances.
"Olive oil has become an ideal product for them to steal."
STC, a Spanish company providing anti-theft solutions to retailers, saw a 12-fold increase in orders this summer from supermarkets for devices to protect olive oil bottles, managing partner Salvador Canones told Reuters.
Spanish police have also uncovered thefts of olive oil from mills and in October arrested two people as part of an investigation into the theft of 56 tonnes of extra virgin olive oil.
Among the world's biggest consumers of olive oil, they have already significantly cut back: sales volumes of extra-virgin olive oil fell by 17% in the 12 months to September, according to NielsenIQ.
Persons:
Jon Nazca, Ruben Navarro, Navarro, Tu, " Navarro, Salvador Canones, Corina Rodriguez, Helen Reid, Elaine Hardcastle
Organizations:
REUTERS, Rights, Tu, STC, Reuters, Spanish, Thomson
Locations:
Olive, Malaga, Spain, Rights MADRID, Spain's Andalucia, Carrefour, Madrid, Spanish