Sunita Somvanshi
Kmart has put some of its cheapest beauty products behind security screens at selected stores in Sydney and Melbourne. Shoppers press a button and wait for a staff member to open the cabinet. The trial has sparked a significant response on social media — and a genuine debate about where retail theft prevention ends and inconvenience for honest shoppers begins.
Kmart confirmed a trial at its Broadway store in Sydney and its Broadmeadows store in Melbourne, where cosmetics have been placed behind automated security cabinets. Products in the trial include brands such as e.l.f., OXX Beauty and BYS Makeup — items priced from around $5. Customers cannot pick up the products directly; they press a button to request staff access. A Kmart spokesperson confirmed the trial to media when asked. The company has not announced any plans to extend the system across all stores.
If you shop for cosmetics at Kmart’s Broadway or Broadmeadows stores, you now need to call for assistance to access those products. The trial has not expanded to other Kmart locations as of September 23, 2026. If you prefer to browse without waiting for staff help, those two stores are currently the only ones affected.
Why retailers are locking up low-priced products
A social media video showing the secured cosmetics received more than one million views within days. The reaction was divided: some shoppers said secured shelves meant products would actually be in stock rather than stolen before they could reach them, while others said it creates queues and discourages the impulse purchases that drive cosmetics aisle revenue.
Kmart is not alone in testing new approaches to theft. Other Australian retailers including Big W, Coles, Woolworths and Chemist Warehouse have introduced different security measures across various product categories in recent years.
The tension for any retailer locking up cheap items is real. Security screens reduce shrinkage and can improve stock availability. They also add friction for the majority of customers who had no intention of stealing, and that friction affects the spontaneous buying behavior that makes cosmetics sections profitable. A $5 product behind glass is a different shopping experience than a $5 product on a shelf.
Whether Kmart extends the trial depends on whether theft reduction at Broadway and Broadmeadows outweighs any measurable drop in sales. The company has not disclosed what metrics it is using to evaluate the trial or when a decision will be made.
Closure: Kmart has confirmed the trial is ongoing at Broadway and Broadmeadows. No timeline for an evaluation or expansion decision has been announced.
