Stat: Shoplifting soars to record high in England and Wales amid retail crime surge

UK – Shoplifting offences in England and Wales have hit their highest level in more than two decades, with recorded incidents rising by 20% to 530,643, according to recent data from the Office for National Statistics. This is the highest figure since current police recording practices began in 2002. 

Retail crime has surged since the pandemic, driven by inflation, rising poverty and organised gangs. Retailers also report high levels of violence and abuse against staff. 

‘These record-breaking figures continue to demonstrate the need for retail crime to be taken seriously,’ said James Lowman, CEO of the Association of Convenience Stores. ‘There is still a huge gap between the recorded figures and the reality.’ 

Figures from the British Retail Consortium indicate that shop theft cost UK retailers £2.2bn ($2.8bn, €2.6bn) in 2023/2024, up from £1.8bn ($2.3bn, €2.1bn) the previous year. 

Tom Ironside from the British Retail Consortium stressed that ‘theft is not a victimless crime. It pushes up the cost for honest shoppers and damages the customer experience’.

In our New Codes of Value report, we explored the rise of System D: The Alternative Economy where individuals challenge traditional value systems through streaming hacks and multi-income hustles – as well as shoplifting.