Today’s Νᴇws: For This Startling Reason, Australian Retailers Removed Taylor Swift merchandise from their shelves

All of Taylor Swift’s merchandise was once removed from shelves nationwide in Australia for an unexpected cause. Swift had just concluded performances for her Eras Tour in Melbourne and Sydney, followed by a weekend show in Singapore. Following this, JB Hi-Fi, Australia’s leading music retailer, implemented a proactive measure that was deemed to be bizarre for many reasons: people were allegedly stealing her albums!

At the JB Hi-Fi location in the Strand Arcade, Sydney’s Pitt St Mall, the space where Swift’s CDs would typically be displayed was left empty, with four distinct signs informing customers that the albums were exclusively available behind the counter to prevent any theft of the pop star’s merch. According to The Daily Mail, the signs in Australian stores read, “Taylor Swift CDs are kept behind the counter. Temporary. Please ask a member of staff for assistance,” indicating that the stores do not prefer to stockpile the Grammy-winning singer’s merchandise out for display.

Three out of the four signs at JB Hi-Fi were printed on pink paper, a color commonly associated with Swifties, while the fourth sign, printed on green cardboard, was adorned with pink love hearts. The store encountered difficulties as determined individuals tried to walk out without paying for Swift goodies. The situation escalated to the point where signs were being displayed in stores across Australia.

Nonetheless, the Anti Hero hitmaker made sure all her seven performances in Melbourne and Sydney did justice to the expectations of her fans. The Australian leg of her massive world tour drew over 600,000 attendees, with each of her three nights in Melbourne attracting a record-breaking 96,000 fans and each of her four Sydney shows drawing 83,000 Swifties.

Meanwhile, Swift’s constant travel caused a stir among environment activists who claimed that she logged a staggering 178,000 miles of travel within a year, as revealed by Jack Sweeney, an individual who closely tracked the movements of the popular musician’s private aircraft. Sweeney disseminated this data via a YouTube video hosted on his channel, Ground Control. “Swift’s two private jets flew 178,000 miles in 2023 equivalent to flying around the earth 7 times. Emitting 1200 tons of C02 in the process. That’s 83 times the average American,” he claimed.

Following Swift’s December 22 cease and desist letter, which accused the young UCF student of aiding stalkers, Sweeney faced unprecedented scrutiny, per The Washington Post. “While this may be a game to you, or an avenue that you hope will earn you wealth or fame, it is a life-or-death matter for our Client. Ms. Swift has dealt with stalkers and other individuals who wish her harm since she was a teenager…the reality has forced our Client to live her life in a constant state of fear for her safety,” the letter addressing Sweeney read. However, despite four months having passed, the student has not received any communication from the singer’s legal team and doubts he ever will.