From market notices – for example to specific opening hours – to advertising and campaign posters to seasonal decorations: Various stickers are often attached to the entrance doors of supermarkets.

However, the inconspicuous, four-colored stripe on the doors of many Rewe and Penny branches does not belong to any of these categories. Because this actually has a very special function and is primarily intended to ensure security and support employees in fighting crime.

On the inside of the entrance door, there are often two colorful vertical stripes in the colors red, blue, yellow and green without any inscription. These are part of the safety and preventive measures of the supermarkets, as Rewe spokesman Thomas Bonrath explained to BILD.

Because in many shops there are always thefts. If perpetrators then escape through the supermarket’s front door, the employees can use the stripes to better assess the size of the thief.

It is sufficient to indicate the color that is approximately at the height of the perpetrator’s head. Because behind every color there is a size that only the employees know. This information can then be passed on to the police, thereby simplifying a search.

The original to this post “Innovation at Rewe and Penny – the colorful stripes have this secret function” comes from chip.de.