Nearly a quarter of the UK population (24%) have witnessed shoplifting taking place while at a shop in the last 12 months, equating to over 16 million people. The shock statistics have been revealed by the latest BRC-Opinium survey data.
The data also shows 23% of customers have witnessed the physical or verbal abuse of shop staff, to include racial or sexual abuse, physical assault or threats with weapons.
The research comes as the UK is experiencing record levels of retail crime, with 20m incidents of theft last year, and incidents of violence and abuse increasing to over 2,000 per day.
Crime cost retailers £4.2bn last year, with the figures including £2.2bn from shoplifting, and a further £1.8bn spent on crime prevention measures such as CCTV, more security personnel, anti-theft devices and body worn cameras. The costs add to the wider cost pressures retailers already face, further limiting investment and pushing up prices for customers everywhere.
Customers in Nottingham saw the most shoplifting incidents, with just under a third (32%) of people witnessing an incident. London followed close behind at 29%, followed by Southampton (28%) and Leeds (26%). Plymouth and Belfast saw the least at 12% and 13% respectively.
“Seeing incidents of theft or abuse has become an all-too-common part of the shopping experience for many people,” states Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium (BRC). “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.”
She continues: “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, the Bill must protect everyone in customer facing roles in the industry.”
Top: Shoplifting is continuing to increase, with almost a quarter of the UK’s population witnessing a shoplifting incident.
