Retail crime rises in UK shops, costing industry £400m last year

Published: 24 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

Criminal gangs are increasingly targeting UK shops, causing widespread concern and financial losses. Retailers warn that 5.5 million incidents of shop theft occurred last year, costing the sector an estimated £400 million and creating significant operational challenges. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) highlighted that violence towards shop workers remains endemic, with staff experiencing an average of 36 violent incidents involving weapons each day, contributing to heightened anxiety and safety fears in the workplace. Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the BRC, urged law enforcement agencies to consistently prioritise retail crime and dedicate sufficient resources to tackle the escalating threat effectively.

Recent BRC research aligns with government plans to introduce legislation establishing a stand-alone offence for assaulting retail workers, while removing the £200 threshold for “low-level” theft, which carries a maximum six-month custodial sentence. These changes form part of the crime and policing bill currently progressing through parliament, with implementation anticipated this spring. Retailers have reported a decline in overall incidents of violence and abuse, falling by a fifth to around 1,600 daily occurrences last financial year, down from 2,000 the previous year, according to the BRC’s annual crime survey. This reduction coincides with improvements in police response, with 13 percent of retailers rating it as good or excellent, compared with nine percent previously.

Despite these declines, the daily incident count remains the second highest on record and more than triple pre-pandemic levels, when only 455 incidents per day were recorded. Physical assaults remained unchanged at 118 per day, signalling persistent risks for retail staff. Dickinson emphasised that violence in the sector is still a serious concern, stating that no one should go to work fearing for their safety, and she called for intensified efforts to reduce these figures further. She also noted that heavy investment in security measures, including additional guards, facial recognition technology, and security tagging, combined with improved police engagement, has contributed to the recent reduction in abuse and violent incidents.

Experts suggest that multiple factors contribute to rising retail crime, including the cost-of-living crisis and rising prices for essential items like baby formula and dairy products. Additionally, retailers’ cost-cutting measures, such as the increased use of self-checkouts, may inadvertently create opportunities for theft and confrontations. Joanne Thomas, general secretary of the shop workers’ union Usdaw, said that although the decline in violence is encouraging, retail employees continue to face unacceptable levels of aggression and abuse. She highlighted that two-thirds of attacks on staff are linked to theft or armed robbery, underlining the fact that retail crime has serious human consequences beyond financial losses.

The BRC emphasised that the 5.5 million reported shoplifting incidents cannot be directly compared with previous years, as survey methods have changed, but the organisation warned that the true figures and associated costs are likely significantly higher. Dickinson welcomed the government’s commitment to invest £7 million over the next three years to strengthen responses to retail crime. This initiative is part of a wider plan to enhance local policing, including the recruitment of 13,000 additional neighbourhood and community support officers across England and Wales by 2029.

Despite these measures, Dickinson stressed that theft remains a substantial challenge, particularly due to organised gangs systematically targeting multiple stores in succession. These gangs often steal tens of thousands of pounds in a single operation, exacerbating the pressures on retailers and creating significant safety risks for employees. She emphasised that effective solutions require sustained collaboration between retailers, law enforcement, and government agencies, focusing on consistent enforcement, intelligence sharing, and targeted action against repeat offenders and organised crime networks.

Retailers are increasingly concerned that without dedicated resources, these interventions may fail to achieve long-term impact. Dickinson insisted that ongoing prioritisation is essential to protect the three million employees in the UK retail sector, many of whom face daily risks while performing their duties. The BRC report also noted that while technological solutions, such as self-checkouts and surveillance systems, can help mitigate some risks, they cannot replace human oversight or consistent policing. The combination of improved technology, robust legislation, and active law enforcement is therefore central to reducing shop crime and violence effectively.

The relationship between organised retail crime and the broader criminal economy has also been highlighted in recent analysis, with stolen goods often sold through secondary markets. This reinforces the need for coordinated action across multiple agencies, from local police to national law enforcement, to disrupt networks profiting from systematic theft. Retailers have called for better data sharing between organisations, enabling a more strategic response that targets high-risk areas and prolific offenders. Dickinson emphasised that these coordinated approaches are necessary to create measurable reductions in crime and to ensure that retail employees feel safe in their workplaces.

Shop workers’ unions continue to play a vital role in advocating for employee safety and supporting victims of retail crime. Joanne Thomas noted that sustained advocacy is crucial, particularly as many staff experience anxiety and psychological stress from repeated theft-related incidents. Retailers have increasingly focused on staff training to handle confrontational situations safely, but the underlying pressures of widespread theft and organised crime remain pressing concerns. The government’s proposed legislative reforms aim to provide additional protection for staff and hold offenders accountable, sending a clear signal that retail crime will not be tolerated.

As retailers navigate the complexities of modern crime, the sector must balance investment in security technology with practical support for employees and collaboration with law enforcement. Experts argue that addressing the root causes of theft, including socio-economic pressures, is also essential to reducing criminal activity over time. By combining technological innovation, legislative reform, and targeted policing, the UK retail sector hopes to mitigate the impact of organised theft and violence while safeguarding the welfare of its workforce.

Overall, the challenge of retail crime remains significant, but strategic investment and consistent government backing offer opportunities to protect employees and reduce financial losses. Dickinson concluded that achieving lasting impact requires unwavering prioritisation and the full cooperation of retailers, law enforcement, and government agencies. With ongoing reforms and enhanced policing measures, the UK can work towards a safer retail environment, ensuring staff can perform their roles without fear and businesses can operate without excessive loss.

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