CVS gives customers a way to get into locked cabinets

(NEXSTAR) – Instead of waiting for an employee to take pity on you and unlock the cabinets in the deodorant aisle, some CVS customers are getting another way to access the locked-up shampoo and ibuprofen they seek.

CVS said the company is testing the ability to let customers open locked display cabinets using the CVS Health app. The technology is currently being tested in three New York City locations and will be expanded to "approximately 10 stores on the West Coast in 2025," CVS spokesperson Tara Burke told Nexstar.

Over the past several years, customers at CVS, Target, Walgreen's and other retailers have increasingly noticed everyday items locked up in stores. The companies say it has been needed to prevent theft.

But CVS acknowledges the extra security has become an annoyance for well-intending shoppers. Burke told the New York Times the new app feature is a way CVS is addressing customer complaints.

Here's how it will work: When shopping in store, you can open up the app and click a blue "In-Store" button. When you find a case you want to unlock, you'll hit another "Unlock" button in the app, then hold your phone up to a Bluetooth reader. That will unlock the case, and you'll just need to lock it back up when you're done picking your products.

The CVS Health app has other features customers may find useful, including vaccine scheduling and making prescription pickups easier with a personalized barcode that can be scanned at checkout.

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