Gainesville, Florida – October, 2018
Retail crime is typically high year-round, but tends to spike during the busy holiday shopping period leading to billions in losses and occasional violence. Over 65 national retail chains and 75 security technology companies are working together with the Loss Prevention Research Council (LPRC) and the University of Florida to help meet the need for cutting-edge crime reduction solutions, many of which are featured in the Innovation Lab mock store.
The newest edition of the Innovation Lab, which includes a simulated in-store environment, parking lot and centralized command center environments, houses over 100 of the latest and upcoming prevention and detection technologies.
“We are excited to announce version 5.0 Innovation Lab,” says Dr. Read Hayes, Director of the Loss Prevention Research Council, and a University of Florida Research Scientist. “We hope this lab will help our members and the retail industry make a dent in the increasing theft, fraud, and violence that occurs around the holidays.”
The LPRC has conducted research to support the evidence-based needs of loss prevention decision-makers since 2001. The organization first showcased their Innovation Lab 5.0 to their members during the IMPACT conference in October, an annual event hosted at the University of Florida designed to help retailers and solution partners better employ research tools to assess the real-world impact their loss prevention efforts have on sales, crime, and loss levels.
Retailers are free to schedule a tour of the lab to see the technologies in action. Dr. Read Hayes and his research team work to keep all solutions current and on the cutting-edge.
“The Innovation Lab is open year-round, and the technologies available are constantly being added, integrated, or updated. We welcome retailers to take a tour and learn about the newest ways to keep their stores and customers safe and secure.”
To learn more about the Loss Prevention Research Council and Innovation Lab, or to schedule a visit, please contact Kevin Tran, LPRC Marketing Specialist, at [email protected],