Incidents of shoplifting have hit record levels, with more than 430,000 offences reported to the police last year – a jump of 32% over the previous 12 months. And, according to the British Retail Consortium, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Though some of the increase may be due to increased crime reporting, there is also evidence that the recent cost of living crisis has fuelled the problem. Food retailers are at the front line of this epidemic, with 77% of supermarkets reporting thefts last year (according to the Commercial Victimisation Survey) versus only 25% of stores in the wider retail sector.
Food retailers also report that patterns of shoplifting have changed, with multiple items often being taken in a single incident. In fact, the two most common items reported stolen were groceries and alcohol, representing 39% and 25% of all reported thefts respectively.
Shoplifting is not a victimless crime. Many convenience stores are privately owned businesses, with these losses coming on top of increasing operating costs and directly affecting the bottom line. Furthermore, most assaults on staff are associated with incidents of shoplifting.
However, there seem to be at least the first signs of a sea change in attitudes to retail crime. The intention to create a specific offence of assaulting a shop worker (announced in the King’s Speech) and the implementation of the Retail Crime Reduction Plan (RCRP) in October last year show that the retail industry’s voice is being heard. One of the key measures in the RCRP is the requirement for police to prioritise attendance at incidents of shoplifting where violence is involved, or where a shoplifter has been detained.
A recent snapshot survey1 across 31 police forces showed some promising initial results. Of over 1,500 crimes reviewed across all retailers, police attended 60 per cent where violence had been used, with 16 per cent of forces reporting 100 per cent attendance to this type of incident. Police attendance for a detained shoplifter was 76 per cent, with 21 per cent of forces again reporting 100 per cent attendance.
So, although shoplifting isn’t going away any time soon, at least the matter is being recognised as a serious issue and gaining greater police attention. The Co-op and Nisa continue to proactively lobby government and support initiatives with the police and local communities that help divert potential offenders and better protect our colleagues and retail partners. The tide hasn’t yet turned, but maybe, just maybe there are the first signs that it can be and the financial and human impacts of shoplifting reduced.
For advice on ways to reduce shoplifting, advice from the police can be found here.
Crime guidance from the ACS can also be found at https://www.acs.org.uk/advice/crime-guidance.
1https://news.npcc.police.uk/releases/policing-retail-crime-action-plan-shows-early-impact