Retail crime is at its highest level on record, according to the latest figures from this year’s British Retail Consortium’s (BRC) Annual Crime Survey.
The survey revealed incidents of violence and abuse in 2023/24 rose to over 2,000 per day, up from 1,300 the year before. This is more than three times what it was in 2020, when there were just 455 incidents a day. Incidents included racial or sexual abuse, physical assault or threats with weapons. There were 70 incidents per day which involved a weapon, more than double the previous year.
Shoplifting also reached an all-time high with over 20 million incidents of theft (over 55,000 per day) costing retailers £2.2 billion in 2023/24 (up from £1.8 billion the previous year). The BRC said these incidents were often linked to organised crime, with gangs targeting shops and then stealing tens of thousands of pounds worth of goods and rotating around multiple stores.
The high level of retail crime has led to a record amount being spent on prevention measures. Retailers invested £1.8 billion on measures such as CCTV, more security personnel, anti-theft devices and body worn cameras, up from £1.2 billion the previous year. This took the total cost of crime to £4.2 billion, up from £3.3 billion previously.
Retailers have been unhappy about the rise in crime in recent years and have been dissatisfied with the response to crime by the police. This has continued in the latest report with 61% of respondents describing the police response to incidents as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’. Of the remaining, 29% rated the response as ‘fair’, a further 6% said good. However, 3% described the police response as ‘excellent’, the first time in five years that any retailers have rated it as such.
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “Retail crime is spiralling out of control. People in retail have been spat on, racially abused, and threatened with machetes. Every day this continues, criminals are getting bolder and more aggressive. We owe it to the three million hardworking people working in retail to bring the epidemic of crime to heel. No one should go to work in fear.”
The retail workers union Usdaw has also published figures from its annual survey of over 4,000 retail staff which showed that 17% of retail workers suffered a violent attack last year, compared to 8% in 2022. Seven in 10 respondents said that incidents of violence, threats and abuse they had experienced were triggered by theft or armed robbery.
The sector has repeatedly called for more robust action by government. The Labour Government, that came into power last July, has promised to tackle these issues. More funding has already been allocated to help recruit extra police officers to patrol high streets. Meanwhile the industry is awaiting the introduction of the Crime and Policing Bill which will focus on reducing low value shoplifting and introduce a specific offence relating to attacks on retail workers.
Helen Dickinson added: “We look forward to seeing crucial legislation to protect retail workers being put in place later this year. Only if the industry, Government and police work together, can we finally see this awful trend reverse.”
Ecl-ips can support retail businesses with crime prevention and security measures that can help make staff feel safer and protect shop goods. This includes body worn and other surveillance cameras, intruder alarms and security fog generators. To find out more please get in touch.