Retail Crime in the UK Reaches Record Levels, Impacting Workers and Shoppers

Shoplifting incidents and abuse of retail staff have surged, prompting calls for stronger protections and legislative action.

Nearly a quarter of UK residents have witnessed shoplifting in the past year, with Nottingham reporting the highest rate at 32%.
23% of people have observed verbal or physical abuse of retail staff, including threats with weapons and racial or sexual abuse.
Shoplifting hit a record high of 469,788 police-reported cases in 2024, a 29% increase from the previous year, with actual incidents estimated at 6.2 million.
Retail crime cost businesses £4.2 billion last year, including £2.2 billion in theft losses and £1.8 billion spent on security measures.
Proposed legislation aims to remove the £200 threshold for low-value theft and introduce a separate offence for assaulting retail workers, with a maximum seven-year sentence.