Retail crime hits crisis levels

New research has revealed that retail premises are the number one victim of physical crimes against businesses in the UK. According to Home Office data, 41.3% of retail and wholesale premises have been victims of crime, with 54% describing the financial impact as ‘moderate’ and 9%
as ‘severe’.

Get Licensed’s UK Retail Crime Report names meat as the UK’s most stolen item, with 85% of retailers reporting high theft rates, and alcohol – particularly high-end spirits and wines – is another frequently stolen category, accounting for over 22% of all retail thefts in 2022. The black market for meat is particularly prevalent in economically deprived areas, and the cost-of-living crisis is often cited as a major factor.

“Approaching three thefts per minute”

According to Get Licensed’s report, cases of shoplifting are up 20% year-on-year and in 2024 hit crisis levels of 516,000 reported incidents. The research also showed that UK retailers logged over 20 million cases last year alone, with the issue costing British retailers £2.2 billion in stolen items, £1.8 billion in security and £200 million in insurance costs.

According to Gary Higgins, director of security and risk at DeterTech, “ONS data suggests the number of reported retail thefts is now almost twice that of two decades ago, approaching three thefts per minute across England and Wales in the year to March.”
Andrew Goodacre, CEO of the British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA) states that official reporting is much less than the quoted figure because many retailers do not bother to report the crimes (mainly due to a lack of response). “Supermarkets and convenience stores are still the main targets, but our own recent research showed that 70% of independents now see regular incidents of theft and staff abuse,” he said.

“Retail crime is becoming more brazen”

The aggressive nature of these incidents is worsening. “Retail crime is also becoming more brazen and more violent in nature, with the British Retail Consortium Crime Survey Report 2025 recording over 2,000 incidents of violence or abuse against retail workers, up from 1,300 the previous year,” said Gary.
“We know that criminals are more aggressive these days, sometimes threatening shop owners with knives, etc. However, if it is possible to intervene and hold the criminals on-site, it is important to report the incident as soon as possible,” suggests Andrew.

“Thieves are looking for easy targets”

For retailers, staying safe is a question of planning ahead, recommends Gary. “Thieves are looking for easy targets and relying on having time to escape well before police can respond. This means it is imperative for speciality food retail to focus on deterrents and on solutions that will help the police to identify and prosecute offenders after they’ve left the store.
“Small retailers who don’t have large budgets for full 24/7 security teams in-store may feel at a loss of what they can do to protect from shoplifting, however there are a variety of cost-effective actions that can be taken.”

“Deterrence is key”

The first line of defence against retail crime is making the crime more difficult and less attractive to commit. “Deterrence is key to crime prevention so focus on actions that will, from a criminal’s perspective, increase the risk and reduce the available reward,” says Gary. “For example, place high value items away from the entrance or lock them away. Equally, take advantage of and clearly signpost the use of technologies such as forensic marking and CCTV.”

“For smaller shops it is important to be on the shop floor, speaking to customers,” says Andrew. “These criminals do not like attention and would rather be left alone, and evidence suggest they would leave a shop rather than have to speak to someone. Also, many businesses are using dummy products on shelves, keeping the actual products behind the counter.”

“Be aware that sites where shoplifting is an issue are often repeatedly targeted by the same offenders unless and until additional security measures are introduced,” advises Gary.

“Combatting retail theft requires a collaborative approach”

While it can be easy to feel alone in a crisis, Robert recommends retailers collaborate with their support network and seek out information which could prove invaluable after a shoplifting event occurs. “Combatting retail theft and holding criminals to account requires a collaborative approach. It relies on retailers, police forces, policymakers, and technology providers all working together.”

“In terms of support, I’d encourage retailers to check out Secured by Design who can provide valuable crime prevention information and advice,” Gary advised. Building a picture for the local police force will inform future change. “I’d also encourage them to report all thefts to local police. While they can’t immediately respond to every incident it really does help them to build up an accurate picture and put more prolific offenders behind bars.”

“Retailers must report the crime and provide the evidence,” said Andrew. “CCTV images are much better now. We know that there are lots of repeat/perennial offenders for shop theft. With evidence the police can take more meaningful action by applying for community banning orders. I cannot stress the need to report the crimes, as this is the only way to show the authorities how big a problem retail crime is.”
“With advanced technology and forensic marking becoming more widespread, it is becoming easier for retailers to gather the evidence that the police can use to hold more individuals to account. In turn that will discourage more individuals from committing retail theft in the future and reduce the number of retail establishments being targeted in the first place,” said Gary.