Among a host of important issues, the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association (PFMA) is targeting legislation to address skyrocketing organized retail crime as a top priority for the 2023 state legislative session.
As organized retail crime grows in scope and complexity across the commonwealth, PFMA is prioritizing working with lawmakers, state agencies and other partners to spearhead a policy response to give law enforcement the tools it needs to effectively combat ORC and illicit trade, which harms retailers and customers alike.
PFMA staff are working on a measure that would establish a statewide organized retail crime task force under the purview of the state attorney general. This task force would operate under a newly created deputy attorney general charged with investigating and prosecuting retail theft across Pennsylvania.
Speaking to PFMA in the association’s latest Spectrum magazine, Dawn Roller, director of loss prevention for Brown’s Shoprite Superstores and chair of the association’s Loss Prevention Committee, observed that offenders are becoming bolder and more brazen, disguising themselves to avoid facial recognition and sometimes entering stores armed. Items targeted by criminals include laundry detergent, health and beauty products, fresh meat, seafood, and baby formula.
Last year PFMA supported and was pleased to see the passage of a state-level version of the INFORM Act in Pennsylvania, addressing online fencing by requiring greater identification and transparency for high-volume sellers on online marketplaces. With reselling stolen goods now more difficult for criminals, the association hopes to build on that momentum and help law enforcement target the organizers of these thefts.
Other key issues for PFMA in 2023 include:
Regulatory Reform — PFMA supports efforts to reform and streamline regulations at the state level. Pennsylvania’s food supply chain works best when the regulatory landscape makes sense and is easy to navigate.
Transportation/Infrastructure — PFMA members rely heavily on a transportation network that is safe, reliable and fast. The association is focused on ensuring PennDOT, PEMA and other state partners understand this and are making the appropriate investments to ensure a consistently dependable system of roads, bridges, rail lines and ports. PFMA is also focused on the development of the state’s EV charging network and ensuring that the private sector plays a strong role in the final product.
Workforce Development/Job Creation — Hiring and retaining workers has been an enormous challenge for PFMA members in recent years. Businesses in the food industry straddle a variety of staffing disciplines, including front-facing retail employees, back office administrative and logistics staff, warehouse workers and truck drivers, each featuring its own unique hiring guidelines and requirements. PFMA believes minimizing obstacles and giving businesses the agility to keep up with a constantly evolving talent pool is crucial both for a healthy industry and a healthy labor force.
Food Assistance — PFMA strongly believes in the value of food assistance and is heavily involved in both the state’s SNAP and WIC programs, representing the industry on key committees and work groups and ensuring an open line of communication between federal and state agencies and member businesses. This has manifested as a crucial outreach effort in 2023 with the ending of SNAP emergency allotments in February. The association is also monitoring progress of the federal Farm Bill to ensure nutrition and food assistance programs continue to be supported.
Industry Opportunities — From alcohol sales to CBD, PFMA maintains a portfolio of key issues that represent opportunities for food wholesalers, retailers, suppliers and others in the industry to grow and thrive. PFMA staff are in routine communication with members of the General Assembly and the governor’s Office, acting as the voice of the industry to advance these opportunities through legislation and policy.