Retail criminality “spiralling out of control’ states BRC in Annual Crime Survey

These episodes have included racial or sexual abuse, physical assault or threats with weapons. In fact, 70 incidents per day have involved a weapon of some kind, which is more than double when compared to the previous year.

With the total number of incidents continuing to grow, and their nature becoming increasingly aggressive, satisfaction with the police service response remains low, with 61% of respondents describing the police response to incidents as either ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’. Of the remaining, 29% rated the response as ‘fair’, a further 6% said ‘good’ and 3% described it as ‘excellent’ (the first time in five years that any retailers have rated it as such).

Theft has also reached an all-time high with over 20 million incidents (ie upwards of 55,000 per day) costing retailers circa £2.2 billion in 2023-2024 (up from £1.8 billion the previous year). Many more incidents are linked to organised crime, with gangs systematically targeting stores right across the country, stealing tens of thousands of pounds’ worth of goods and rotating their activities around multiple stores.

Unsurprisingly, the amount spent on crime prevention is also at a record high, with retailers investing £1.8 billion on measures such as CCTV, an increase in security personnel, anti-theft devices and body-worn cameras. The previous year’s spend was £1.2 billion.

This takes the total cost of crime to an eye-watering £4.2 billion (up from £3.3 billion) and adds to the wider cost pressures retailers already face, further limiting investment and pushing up prices for customers everywhere.

The Government has pledged to address the rise in retail crime through stronger measures designed to tackle shoplifting and anti-social behaviour, including removal of the £200 threshold of ‘low level’ theft. In The King’s Speech, the Government also announced that it would introduce a standalone offence for assaulting a retail worker.

Retailers will certainly be looking very closely at the details of the Crime and Policing Bill to ensure that its protections apply to all customer-facing retail workers, from those behind the tills all the way through to delivery drivers.

Epidemic of crime

Helen Dickinson, CEO of the BRC, observed: “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 becoming bolder and more aggressive. We owe it to the three million hardworking people in retail to bring the epidemic of crime to heel. No-one should go to work in fear.”

Dickinson added: “With little faith among retailers in police attendance, it’s no wonder criminals feel they have licence to steal, threaten, assault and abuse. Retailers are spending more than ever before on security measures, but they cannot prevent crime alone. We need the police service to respond to and handle every reported incident appropriately.”

In conclusion, Dickinson commented: “We look forward to seeing crucial legislation to protect retail workers being put in place later on this year. Only if the industry, Government and the police service work together can we finally see this awful trend being reversed.”

Paddy Lillis, general secretary of Trade Union Usdaw (the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) explained: “The scale of the epidemic of retail crime is laid bare in this shocking report from the BRC. Crime has a very direct impact on the viability of stores as retailers go to increasing lengths and expense to make them secure and safe.”

Further, Lillis stated: “Communities are blighted by anti-social behaviour and store closures. Staff are working in fear of the next incident of abuse, threats or violence. Along with the BRC, we’ve campaigned for substantial legislative measures to combat this growing problem and we’re pleased that the Government will be introducing the Crime and Policing Bill. However, this is only part of the fightback against the criminals. We will continue to work closely with retailers in order to deliver respect for shop workers.”

Chris Brook-Carter, CEO of retail industry charity The Retail Trust, said: “Almost half of the retail workers we’ve surveyed told us they currently fear for their safety and nearly two-thirds of them are stressed and anxious going to work due to the unacceptable level of retail crime. People are contacting our Helpline in their thousands to report horrifying incidents of abuse and violence and many of them say that they are now at breaking point.”

Brook-Carter continued: “Retailers are taking the threat posed to members of staffs’ physical safety extremely seriously. More and more of them are working with The Retail Trust to reduce the terrible toll it’s exerting on their employees’ mental well-being. Clearly, stronger measures are needed to prevent this criminal behaviour from happening in the first place.”

Harsh truth

Jason Towse, managing director of the Business Services division at Mitie (which encompasses the company’s security function) informed Security Matters: “The most recent data from the BRC reveals the harsh truth about retail crime, highlighting the alarming fact that nearly 50% of retail workers now live in fear for their safety while they’re at work. This fear of assault or abuse is completely unacceptable. It’s distressing to see its pervasive impact on security officers who strive to safeguard colleagues and customers within stores.”

Towse went on to state: “Disturbingly, security officers face injuries daily as they fulfil their duties, with a total of 968 incidents in 2024 resulting in physical harm to our security personnel. The statistics from the BRC indicate a rise in assaults involving weapons, causing not only physical harm, but also affecting mental well-being and leaving lasting scars that persist long after the physical injuries have healed.”

According to Towse, the security industry, retailers and law enforcement must remain united in the shared goal of creating safer retail environments and communities. “Technology plays a crucial role in achieving this objective, as evidenced by the valuable footage captured by security officers using body-worn cameras and the formal data-sharing agreements established between retailers and the police service. These tools and strategies are essential for apprehending offenders and ensuring they face appropriate legal consequences.”

In conclusion, Towse explained: “By harnessing advanced technology and implementing efficient processes, there’s an opportunity to combat retail crime effectively. The introduction of new legislation aimed at protecting retail workers is just the starting point in this mission. I know that the security industry is dedicated to collaborating with retailers and law enforcement agencies to address crime, improve troubling statistics and, most importantly, guarantee that our security and retail staff are not only respected, but also provided with a secure work environment and access to the necessary justice.”