What’s Behind Retail Crime in the UK

According to BIRA Retail Crime refers to all activities that specifically target retail establishments, such as shops, supermarkets, or shopping centres. Among retail crimes, you can find shoplifting, employee thefts, vendor theft, return fraud, sweethearting, organized Retail Crime, and more.

Retail Crime is not a new struggle in the UK, actually, it has quite a history. The British government began recording thefts from shops as a standalone offence in 1934. Back then there were 12,976 known shoplifting offences that year – a figure that has since risen to 443,995 incidents in 2024.

As of today, much has changed in areas such as surveillance, economics, and societal demographics. However, retail crime remains a growing concern in the UK. The most common type of retail crime is theft, which can be categorised as either internal theft or external theft.

Internal Theft

This refers to crimes committed by employees or vendors within their workplaces, targeting their employers. Such acts could involve an employee directly pilfering items from the store or backroom or a delivery driver intentionally delivering fewer items than expected. In 2024, internal theft accounted for approximately 29% of total retail shrinkage globally, and in the UK, internal theft was responsible for about 40% of the total value of retail theft.

While these examples are straightforward thefts, in some cases, the employee isn’t outright stealing but uses their access to provide unauthorised discounts or benefits to friends and family. While they might perceive this as a grey area, it is, in fact, a form of fraud that results in losses for the business.

External Theft

Organized criminals- are groups or individuals who systematically target retailers to steal goods for resale or profit. They usually move across locations targeting different retailers and stealing in bulk for resale. They tend to be well-coordinated, often operating in groups with assigned roles, and using sophisticated methods such as distraction, concealment, or technology to evade detection (sometimes they even have assistance within the targeted enterprise).

Their motives are primarily financial, as stolen goods are typically resold online, at flea markets, or through other black-market channels. Some groups are connected to larger criminal networks, using retail theft as a way to fund other illegal activities. Organized criminals usually plan their thefts in advance.

local prolifics- are individuals or small groups who repeatedly commit retail theft within a specific area. Unlike organised retail criminals, they act independently and lack sophisticated planning. They’re repeat offenders who target the same stores over and over again and usually act by exploiting local store weaknesses, such as poor security or inattentive staff. Local prolifics might work for a middleman, who sells the stolen items at a discount to the community, either because they’re pressured or paid to do it.

Opportunists, or the “Swipers”- these people driven by pike, and impulse, not necessarily the gangs or the repeat offenders. Sometimes they don’t even have any criminal record but saw an opportunity and decided to act upon it. Opportunists act can be anything from getting out of a store with unpaid items when no one is watching or “accidentally” not scanning certain items (and blaming the barcode scanner).

The Alarming Rise in Retail Crime in the UK

The UK is currently facing a significant surge in retail crime posing major concerns for businesses and communities nationwide. This rise can be seen across many areas within retail:

Surge in Shoplifting Incidents

The National Statistics reported 469,788 shoplifting offenses in England and Wales for the year ending June 2024, marking a 29% increase from the previous year and the highest recorded in two decades. The most dangerous region for shoplifting is South Glamorgan, which recorded a shoplifting rate of 14.76 offences per 1,000 people in 2024. The second most dangerous area for shoplifting is Bristol, followed by Nottinghamshire in third.

Organized Retail Crime

Retailers report an increase in organised crime groups engaging in large-scale thefts. The Co-op supermarket chain reported a 44% increase in retail crime over the past year, attributing this surge primarily to organized criminal activities. groups employ tactics such as using trash bins to clear entire shelves, posing significant challenges to store security.

Violence Against Retail Workers

The increase in retail crime has been accompanied by a surge in violence and abuse toward shop workers. Incidents involving weapons like knives and syringes have been reported, leading to serious injuries and psychological trauma among staff.

These increasing levels of retail crime have negatively impacted the well-being of retail workers. Retail Trust charity, published results of its survey found that 47% of respondents feared for their safety at work and 39% had considered leaving their jobs or the industry altogether.

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Porch Pirates / Parcel Theft

Unfortunately, it’s not only brick-and-mortar retail that is suffering; e-commerce is also impacted. Quadient reported that the total value of parcels stolen across the UK rose to £376.6m in the last year, with the average stolen parcel value increasing by 52%, from £66.50 (US$83.60) in 2023 to £102 (US$128.20) in 2024. Supporting consumer research shows that 13% of UK households, at least 3.69 million homes, had at least one parcel stolen in the last year. This highlights that goods purchased online are increasingly being targeted as well. Exploiting the fact that people are ordering more online and deliveries often arrive when they’re at work, thieves take advantage, stealing goods not only from retailers but also from their customers.

Why Is Retail Crime Spiking

Retail crime in the UK has been on the rise due to a combination of economic pressures, organized criminal activity, and shifts in social attitudes.

First, the economic situation and the cost-of-living crisis have intensified financial strains on individuals, leading some to commit theft out of necessity, just to put food on the table. An example for that is the heartbreakingly common theft of baby formula by parents who can’t keep up with the cost increase. With more families falling below the poverty line, we’re seeing a rise in shoplifting incidents, both for consumption and both for reselling to make some extra money.

However, some say there’s more to this spike than a simple economic situation to blame. Paul Gerrard, the public affairs director at the Co-op states that "there have always been people who steal to make ends meet … but that is not what is driving the 44% increase”. Gerrard explains and says that the main cause of the surge actually seems to be due to organized crime. They see gangs coming with the intention of emptying the shelves. Criminologists identify growing evidence of organised crime groups in shoplifting because it is seen as “a low-risk, high-reward venture.

Professor Emmeline Taylor of the University of London explained that this 'tsunami' of retail crime is also fueled by wider challenges, such as mental health struggles, drug addiction, and alcohol dependency. In fact, the Centre for Social Justice had suggested that 70% of local organised criminals were stealing to fund drug addiction.

Others explain that shoplifting also started serving as a form of protest. With more people, especially “Gen Z shoplifters” self-confess that it’s their way to protest against youth disenfranchisement in light of the impact of lockdowns, unaffordable housing, and as other contemporary social problems take hold. “where you see theft, others may see a rational act of rebellion”. Many people, particularly in younger generations, feel helpless and hopeless about the future, leading them to act against societal norms.

Lastly, many shoplifters feel like this is a victimless act. They see themselves as the simple folks trying to put food on the table, while the retail giant enterprises rip them off with increasing costs. They justify their act like they’re Robbin Hood stealing from the rich to feed the poor so there is no harm.

Retailers' Pain Points in Tackling Crime

The retail industry is particularly vulnerable to crime due to its open and accessible nature. Most retail spaces are public areas where people can come and go freely, often without proper tracking or monitoring. This creates ample opportunities for theft, especially when goods are openly displayed and easily accessible. Additionally, the high volume of shoppers at any given time makes it difficult to identify suspicious behaviour or notice every instance of pilferage, whether it’s a teenager pocketing sweets or a customer failing to scan all items at a self-checkout kiosk.

In addition, many retail employees, such as part-time workers, students, immigrants, older individuals, and people with disabilities, are not adequately trained to handle criminal activity. These groups are often seen as easy targets by offenders, who exploit the fact that they are unlikely to confront or resist during a crime. Even when staff is trained to detect and report suspicious behaviour, they may hesitate to intervene in real-time due to the risk of violence, opting instead to report incidents after the fact.

Retailers are actively working to prevent and combat these crimes, as they pose significant risks to profits, reputation, and employee safety. Current efforts include investments in CCTV, security personnel, staff training, intruder alarms, and internal radios. However, these measures alone are insufficient to address the scale of the problem. While CCTV can deter opportunistic theft and help identify offenders, its effectiveness is limited if law enforcement fails to follow up on footage, investigate incidents, and make arrests. Without proper enforcement, these systems often serve only as a record of crimes rather than a solution.

Fear of Intervention

Unfortunately, even when staff notice suspicious behaviour or spot a theft in real time, they might turn a blind eye to avoid putting themselves at risk. The top triggers for violence towards staff include confronting shoplifters, enforcing age-restricted sales policies, and refusing to serve intoxicated customers. These risks force many retail workers to ignore things they shouldn’t, just to stay safe, especially as crimes are becoming more violent. According to the ACS Crime Report 2023, in crimes involving weapons, 37% involve knives, 30% involve blunt objects, and 23% involve other weapons. This isn’t just scary for young store employees, it’s life-threatening, as robberies can go wrong and end in dangerous situations.

Lack of Law Enforcement Support

The frustration in the retail industry comes from feeling helpless against crime without proper law enforcement support. In fact, only 42% of retail crimes are reported to the police. The reasons retailers don’t report crimes include:

Lack of confidence in follow-up investigations- Retailers don’t trust that the police will investigate or take action based on their reports.

Perceived lack of interest from the police- Retailers doubt the police will even respond to their calls as retail crime and shoplifting aren’t always treated like “real crime”.

The time it takes to file and process a report- Due to bureaucracy, many retailers avoid starting the process, fearing it’s a waste of time.

How Retailers Can Mitigate Theft and Crime in 2025

The best way to reduce theft is to first tackle crimes motivated by opportunity.

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"We’ll always have people who won’t commit crimes or steal, no matter what. And then there are those who’ll do it no matter what. But the ones we can really tackle are the people who steal when they see an opportunity. If we put the right measures in place, retailers can protect themselves from these crimes of opportunity.”

- Michal Paran, VP of Sales, Chainlane

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These thefts can be significantly reduced or even eliminated, by removing the opportunity. To start, we recommend rolling out RFID technology across all locations (if you haven’t already). This allows you to track and trace your stock in real-time, helping you quickly identify where inventory leakages are occurring, not just which locations, but exactly where (stockroom, salesfloor, or even fitting rooms). Everything can be monitored.

Just by implementing RFID, you’ll see a dramatic reduction in shrinkage. Items no longer vanish into thin air, and employees are aware that every item is tracked and traceable. This awareness makes them far less likely to take the risk of stealing. Similarly, vendors and delivery drivers know that stock is monitored down to the item level, making it much harder to cover their thefts.

Later, I would suggest switching from magnetic security gates to RFID gates. Magnetic gates don’t have a high success rate, and thieves already know how to remove them. More importantly, they don’t provide detailed product data; they only beep. Sometimes, they go off because of nearby items, which can create opportunities for thieves to slip things out unnoticed.

With RFID, however, tags can be hidden deep inside items, like inside a shoe or sewn into garments. They don’t need to be removed, just deactivated at the register. Unlike magnetic tags, RFID can tell you exactly which item left the store, when it left, and whether it was paid for or not. This level of detail makes RFID a far more effective solution for preventing theft and tracking inventory.

Additionally, RFID and other technologies can be used for access control to prevent unauthorised entries into sensitive areas like the stockroom. This ensures that only employees with specific permissions can access these areas, adding an extra layer of security and reducing the risk of internal theft or unauthorised access.

Retailers experiencing high shrinkage rates during deliveries can consider using fixed infrastructure in their vans and trucks to automate the counting and validation of items entering and leaving each vehicle. This helps prevent situations where the warehouse or distribution centre sends a specific number of items, but the store receives fewer, ensuring greater accuracy and reducing losses.

For handling external theft, we suggest leveraging the power of knowledge. While organised crime may still occur, having the right insights allows you to cope and recover faster. The real problem retailers face today is being hit twice: first, by the immediate loss of stolen items and revenue, and second, by the lost opportunities. When items disappear without anyone noticing, they’re no longer available to sell. This means you’re not just losing stock, you’re losing future sales because it’s nearly impossible to track every single item that vanishes from your shelves.

To tackle this problem, RFID gates can also be incredibly useful. They allow retailers to react faster than ever and quickly replenish stolen goods. Additionally, they provide valuable insights per location, such as identifying which items are most commonly stolen. With this data, retailers can adjust store layouts to reduce theft incidents.

This technology gives retailers peace of mind, knowing they are in control. They can see what’s happening, where it’s happening, and respond in time to meet each location’s specific needs. This ensures they aren’t flying blind, allowing shrinkage and stock discrepancies to pile up unnoticed. We believe that the more you see, the more you know, and this is the key to sustainable success and growth.

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Retail crime in the UK is a growing challenge, impacting businesses and employees. While the rise in theft and organised crime is concerning, there are practical steps retailers can take to protect themselves. The fight against retail crime starts with awareness. By staying informed and taking action, retailers can reduce losses.