SHOPPERS are noticing that some stores are “beefing” up their security measures – quite literally.

A recent viral video showed the extreme lengths being taken at one California Walmart.

As food prices soar and many retailers roll out updated security measures, one chain has taken an extra step to protect its merchandise.

A video posted by a Facebook user under the name Meat Dad shows packs of beef wrapped in wire cages, which he found at a Walmart in California.

“There it is,” Tony Bartleson, the man behind the account, says in the video.

“Welcome to California,” he states as he holds up the wire-wrapped beef.

One of the depicted pieces of meat was a Cowboy Ribeye Steak, which is priced at $15.47 per pound in the video.

The video gained 3.8 million views on Facebook and nearly 4,000 comments, with many stating that the high prices have caused the need for extra security.

“It’s not locked up it’s tagged for shoplifting because it happens more now with prices the way they are,” wrote one commentor.

“I’d like to see that in Florida, can’t tell you how many people I see walking out a grocery store is there with meat stuffed in in their clothing,” wrote another Facebook user, who thinks the security measures are justified.

“locked up meat? for what reason? Theft? No!” added one clever shopper.

Bartleson was surprised to see the wire cages on the meat at Walmart and believes the video gained so much attention because it highlights a bigger issue, he told The U.S. Sun.

“Seeing basic food items locked behind cages is sad,” he said in a statement to The U.S. Sun.

“My hope is that we can get to a point where measures like this aren’t necessary anymore—where people don’t have to steal just to eat, stores don’t have to lock up food, and everyone has reliable access to the necessities they need.”

“I think most of us want to live in a world where people can put food on the table with dignity, and I hope we continue moving in that direction,” Bartleson continued.

Like many food items, the price of beef has increased over the past year.

The USDA reported the average retail price of beef was a record high of $9.64 per pound in April 2026, up 13% from the previous year, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Continued demand and an unusually small US cattle herd are the causes of beef price increases.

Comparatively, the price of pork increased just 2.3% between April 2025 and 2026, and the price of chicken decreased by 0.7%, according to the Farm Bureau Federation.

A new law could lead to consumers in one state paying $190 more on groceries.

Plus, USPS just introduced a new universal $1.75 charge.

Comment now