More then Likely the overall average is hitting that. not really going to argue that. I have been at and looked at metrics for individual stores that have been 4.2,4.5, and one that was a 6% (their was a bit of restructuring that happened after that). I will state that those percentages were lost item numbers that could be accounted with other things other then theft.

The store thats in a "nicer" area and the one that has is in a really bad 1 can even out so the number is low. but the bad store can have really high numbers, numbers that can be worse as it goes through. Also keep in mind that the overall theft % has stayed "constant" by the link you gave, and thats with the annoying glass cases and other such being used to try to lower shrink. better measures are needed as time passes. A case an area cost 6k to order for the area I was in, and the store chose to put it there. or the ones that are paying for off duty officers to help. If they didnt work the stores wouldnt use them (and yes that does happen, a security set for a store got canceled because the numbers didnt change after 5 months)