One in four Brits witness shoplifting incidents as crime costs retailers an eye watering £4.2 billion

24% of the UK population have witnessed shoplifting taking place while at a store in the last 12 months. That is equivalent to over 16 million people seeing these events. That's according to the latest BRC-Opinium survey data.

This also shows 23% of customers have witnessed the physical or verbal abuse of shop staff. This can include racial or sexual abuse, physical assault or threats with weapons.

The research comes as the UK experiences record levels of retail crime with 20 million incidents of theft last year, and incidents of violence and abuse climbing to over 2,000 per day. Separately, Usdaw - the shopworkers’ union - have produced their own survey showing 77% of retail staff experiencing abuse, 53% threats, and 10% assault.

These incidents are not restricted to those working in stores: delivery drivers are often subjected to abuse, physical violence, and threats with weapons. As a result, many are being equipped with protective measures, such as personal safety devices to alert the police of their whereabouts, and DNA spit testing kits.

Crime cost retailers £4.2 billion last year. This includes £2.2 billion from shoplifting, and another £1.8 billion spent on crime prevention measures such as CCTV, more security personnel, anti-theft devices and body worn cameras. These costs add to the wider cost pressures retailers already face, further limiting investment and pushing up prices for customers everywhere.

There are stark differences between cities in the UK. Customers in Nottingham saw the most shoplifting, with just under a third (32%) of people witnessing an incident. London followed close behind at 29%, followed by Southampton (28%) and Leeds (26%). Meanwhile, Plymouth and Belfast saw the least at 12% and 13% respectively.

A similar pattern also existed for abuse of colleagues. Customers in London witnessed the most incidents of physical or verbal abuse at 30%. Nottingham and Liverpool were close second at 29%, with Manchester at 27% of customers.

The government is taking action to address retail crime through the new Crime and Policing Bill. Retailers hope this will play a vital role in protecting retail workers from harm and tackling the surge in theft. The bill includes a standalone offence which will improve the visibility of violence so that police can allocate appropriate resources to the challenge.

It also seeks to remove the £200 threshold of ‘low level’ theft, which will send a clear signal that all shoplifting is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. But, according to the BRC, this bill needs to go further and protect all retail staff working in customer facing roles, including delivery drivers, just as the Workers Protection Act does in Scotland.

Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, says: “Seeing incidents of theft or abuse has become an all too common part of the shopping experience for many people. While an incident can be over in a matter of seconds, it can have life-long consequences on those who experience it, making them think twice about visiting their local high streets."

"Criminals are becoming bolder and more aggressive, and decisive action is needed to put an end to it. The Crime and Policing Bill is a crucial step in providing additional protections to retail workers. However, in its current proposed form, it does not afford all retail workers the same protections as those working in Scotland, where delivery drivers are also protected. The bill must protect everyone in customer facing roles in the industry.”

2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Retail security will be a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards. which will open for entries in March, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering. 

For further information on the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards, please fill in the below form and we will get back to you asap.