Walgreens’ plan to combat increasing theft by locking products up at their stores has hurt sales, the company’s CEO said in a recent earnings call.

Retailers have been faced with increases in shoplifting and retail theft. But anti-theft prevention can hurt retail sales, says the CEO of Walgreens.

Walgreens’ strategy of locking up merchandise — from deodorants to bags of M&M’s — to deter theft has backfired, according to CEO Tim Wentworth. “It is a hand-to-hand combat battle still, unfortunately,