The number of thefts from UK shops peaked in 2024, with losses from such crimes totalling a record $2.75bn, a report by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), which includes around 200 companies, has revealed.
The amount of damage was around $2bn in 2023. According to the Consortium’s CEO Helen Dickinson, theft levels are on the rise despite significant investment by leading brands in measures to prevent these crimes as well as attacks on employees.
The reports also states that the amount spent by shops on crime prevention is at a record high. In the 2023-2024 financial year, retailers invested £1.8bn in installing CCTV, anti-theft equipment and increasing the number of security staff, the BRC report notes.
Dickinson also added that burglars are becoming more aggressive by the day. For the year 2024, two thousand cases of aggressive dealing with shopkeepers were recorded, while the year before the figure did not exceed 1.3 thousand.
According to the BRC, in most cases, shops across the country are being raided by organised crime groups, stealing goods and often assaulting staff. The high crime rate is forcing retailers to spend more on point-of-sale security and safety, which is driving up the level of business costs.
