Shoplifting ‘epidemic’ hits record high as abuse against shop workers also soars, survey shows
Shoplifting has hit a record high with 16.7 million incidents recorded last year – more than double compared to 2022.
The spate cost retailers around £1.8bn, a record sum, and the first time it has surpassed the £1bn mark, according to an annual survey by the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
Violence and abuse against shop workers also spiked last year with about 1,300 incidents daily, a rise of 50% from 870 the year before, the trade association reported.
About 8,800 of the total across the year resulted in injury.
Retail staff faced a range of incidents including physical violence, threats with weapons, racial abuse and sexual harassment.
Shoplifting and abuse come hand in hand as, in November, it was revealed as many as two in five employees faced mistreatment reported being shouted at, spat on, or hit especially when confronting the criminals.
Many have considered quitting their jobs or leaving retail work altogether.
The industry group – which has thousands of members including more than 200 major chains – surveyed a sample of retailers representing some 1.1 million employees across the country.
Some of the retailers surveyed pointed to the cost-of-living crisis which had led to shoplifters stealing several items as opposed to one or two.
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The rise and rise of retail crime
Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation hit a peak of 11.1% in October 2022, with people seeing much higher prices for everyday essentials such as food and electricity.
Other retailers said they had seen shoplifters were more prone to resort to violence and abuse, and they felt there was a lack of consequences for offenders.
During COVID, people lashed out at staff due to safety measures implemented in shops resulting in the number of abuse cases tripling during the period.
BRC said the situation had escalated to a “crisis” and criticised the government’s “woefully inadequate” action to combat it.
Firms have attempted to curb the rise of crimes in their stores, spending about £1.2bn on measures like CCTV, increased security personnel, and body cameras.
Criminals given ‘a free pass’
Helen Dickinson, the BRC’s chief executive, said despite the sums of money invested to prevent crime, violence and abuse against staff was “climbing”.
She added: “Criminals are being given a free pass to steal goods and to abuse and assault retail colleagues. No one should have to go to work fearing for their safety.
“This is a crisis that demands action now.”
More than 55 leading businesses, including Sainsbury’s and Boots, previously signed an open letter to Minister for Policing Chris Philp calling for more police action over the high levels of abuse.
The Co-op said it recorded 300,000 incidents of shoplifting, abuse, violence and anti-social behaviour in 2023 – an increase of more than 40% on the year before.
It urged MPs not to “turn their backs” on shopworkers.
Meanwhile, the head of John Lewis said shoplifting had become an “epidemic” with a rise in organised gangs looting stores.
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How to tackle the ‘epidemic’?
John Lewis is among 10 of the UK’s biggest retailers which last year agreed to fund a police operation to crack down on shoplifting, called Project Pegasus.
The companies are expected to pay around £600,000 towards the project, which will use CCTV images and facial recognition software to get a better understanding of shoplifting operations.
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Face ID tech to tackle shoplifters
Also, the Police Retail Crime Action Plan, launched in October 2023, signalled some “hope” for the sector, the BRC said.
It includes a pledge for police to prioritise urgently attending the scene of shoplifting that has involved violence against a worker, or when a shoplifter has been detained.
Henrik Nordvall, who heads H&M in the UK & Ireland, said: “While we welcomed the Retail Crime Action Plan last year, we need to ensure that this is put into practise.
“The introduction of a standalone offence for violent and abusive behaviour toward retail workers will send a clear message that the government does not tolerate such behaviour towards people who are simply doing their jobs.
“The issue of retail crime is not just about the cost to a business, but more importantly the safety of colleagues and customers who have the right to feel safe on their high streets and in their workplaces.”
Four people have been arrested by police investigating cyber attacks targeting M&S, Co-op and Harrods.
A 20-year-old woman and two males, both aged 19, and a male aged 17, were detained in London and the West Midlands this morning as part of a National Crime Agency (NCA) operation.
They were arrested at their homes on suspicion of Computer Misuse Act offences, blackmail, money laundering and participating in the activities of an organised crime group.
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Electronic devices were seized from the suspects and are currently being analysed by forensic experts.
M&S halted online orders, and shelves were empty in shops after the cyber attack on the retailer earlier this year.
The initial hack into the retailer’s systems took place in April through “sophisticated impersonation” involving a third party.
Disruption is expected to continue at the retailer until the end of this month.
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Mickey Carroll in May answered why M&S cyber attack was so bad.
The Co-op and Harrods were also subsequently targeted by hackers.
Paul Foster, head of the NCA’s National cybercrime unit described the arrests as a “significant step” in their investigation, which remains “one of the Agency’s highest priorities”.
He added: “…our work continues, alongside partners in the UK and overseas, to ensure those responsible are identified and brought to justice.”
The National Crime Agency is keen to “signal” to “future victims” the “importance of seeking support and engaging with law enforcement”, stating that “the NCA and policing are here to help”.
The NCA has also thanked M&S, Co-op and Harrods for their support in their investigations.
The arrests, which took place early on Thursday morning, were supported by officers from the West Midlands Regional Organised Crime Unit and the East Midlands Special Operations Unit.
Earlier this week, the chairman of M&S told MPs that the hack had been “traumatic” and like an “out-of-body experience”.
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Archie Norman, however, refused to be drawn on whether the retailer had paid any ransom.
“We are not discussing any of the details of our interaction with the threat actor, including this subject, but that subject is fully shared with the NCA,” he said.
It is estimated that the cyber attack will cost M&S up to £300m this year.
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Days after M&S was attacked, the Co-op was targeted and forced to shut down some internal systems.
Harrods was then hacked, and also had to shut some systems despite its website and shops continuing to operate.
Of those arrested, a 17-year-old British male and a 19-year-old Latvian male were from the West Midlands.
A 19-year-old man was from London and a 20-year-old woman from Staffordshire.
Royal Mail is to be allowed to scrap Saturday second-class stamp deliveries, under a series of reforms proposed by the communications regulator.
From 28 July, Royal Mail will also be allowed to deliver second-class letters on alternate weekdays, Ofcom said.
The post will still be delivered within three working days of collection from Monday to Friday.
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The proposals had already been raised by Ofcom after a consultation was announced in 2024, and the scale back was proposed early this year.
Royal Mail had repeatedly failed to meet the so-called universal service obligation to deliver post within set periods of time.
Those delivery targets are now being revised downwards.
Rather than having to have 93% of first-class mail delivered the next day, 90% will be legally allowed.
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The target for second-class mail deliveries will be lowered from 98.5% to arrive within three working days to 95%.
A review of stamp prices has also been announced by Ofcom amid concerns over affordability, with a consultation set to be launched next year.
It’s good news for Royal Mail and its new owner, the Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky. Ofcom estimates the changes will bring savings of between £250m and £425m.
A welcome change?
Unsurprisingly, the company welcomed the announcement.
“It is good news for customers across the UK as it supports the delivery of a reliable, efficient and financially sustainable universal service,” said Martin Seidenberg, the group chief executive of Royal Mail’s parent company, International Distribution Services.
“It follows extensive consultation with thousands of people and businesses to ensure that the postal service better reflects their needs and the realities of how customers send and receive mail today.”
Citizens Advice, however, doubted whether services would improve as a result of the changes.
“Today, Ofcom missed a major opportunity to bring about meaningful change,” said Tom MacInnes, the director of policy at Citizens Advice.
“Pushing ahead with plans to slash services and relax delivery targets in the name of savings won’t automatically make letter deliveries more reliable or improve standards.”
Acknowledging long delays “where letters have taken weeks to arrive”, Ofcom said it set Royal Mail new enforceable targets so 99% of mail has to be delivered no more than two days late.
Changing habits
Less than a third of letters are sent now than 20 years ago, and it is forecast to fall to about a fifth of the letters previously sent.
According to Ofcom research, people want reliability and affordability more than speedy delivery.
Royal Mail has been loss-making in recent years as revenues fell.
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In response to Ofcom’s changes, a government spokesperson said: “The public expects a well-run postal service, with letters arriving on time across the country without it costing the earth. With the way people use postal services having changed, it’s right the regulator has looked at this.
“We now need Royal Mail to work with unions and posties to deliver a service that people expect, and this includes maintaining the principle of one price to send a letter anywhere in the UK”.
Ofcom said it has told Royal Mail to hold regular meetings with consumer bodies and industry groups to hear their experiences implementing the changes.
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