“Supply chain thefts soar in 2025” reports British Standards Institution

The BSI’s 2026 Supply Chain Risks and Opportunities Report, which assesses incidents in the last 12 months and what they mean for the year ahead, finds that global supply chains are facing an increasingly complex and interconnected risk environment, with disruptions no longer able to be managed as isolated incidents. The document highlights that true resilience requires end-to-end visibility across supply networks and the ability to respond quickly. With the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, these disruptions are only intensifying.

Highlighting the continued vulnerability of essential or high-demand goods, food and beverages were the most frequently targeted commodities in cargo theft, accounting for 14% of all incidents, followed by agricultural goods (8%) and electronics (6%). Cargo theft remained persistent across markets including Brazil, Mexico, the US, India and Indonesia.

In-transit theft has continued to be the most targeted location of cargo thefts, accounting for 30% of all thefts in 2025.

Hijacking remained the most common tactic globally, accounting for 20% of all incidents. Even as Brazil saw a decrease in hijacking thefts (-5% from 2024), it remained the top location, accounting for 32% of all incidents, while Mexico saw an increase, rising to 31% (+10% from 2024).

Strategic theft

Strategic theft (ie highly organised and deceptive crime often involving fraud rather than force) now accounts for around 5% of incidents globally. Incidents are often cyber-enabled, using phishing, spoofed carriers or stolen identities to gain access to legitimate shipments and divert cargo.

Cyber attacks also increased in both frequency and sophistication, with at least 32 recorded incidents in the maritime sector alone. Attacks on ports, freight forwarders and customs systems caused operational shutdowns, cargo delays and rising insurance costs, while the average global cost of a data breach reached £3.3 million.

Other key findings outlined in the report include the following:

*In the US, 17% of cargo theft incidents were linked to fictitious pick-ups

*Insider involvement remains a significant factor, accounting for roughly one-fifth of incidents globally, 51% of which were reported in Asia

*Maritime risks are increasing, notably with sea theft and piracy resurging across key Asian shipping corridors and continued attacks in the Red Sea

*Facility thefts increased as organizations adapted to the rapidly changing trade environment, accounting for 20% of all thefts

Overlapping challenges

Susan Taylor Martin, CEO of the BSI, explained: “Our report brings together regional intelligence and cross-cutting analysis to underscore how overlapping challenges are impacting industries from energy and logistics to manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and technology, reinforcing the need for a unified risk strategy that spans geopolitical, economic, social, security and operational disruption.”

Taylor Martin added: “Now, with the war in Iran, it’s essential for organisations to strengthen resilience and risk mitigation efforts. With organisations under pressure to manage supply chain disruption in real-time, it’s clear risks can no longer be addressed in isolation. Resilience depends on understanding them as a connected whole.”

The report outlines how labour unrest intensified globally last year, emerging as a sustained and systemic risk to production continuity. Wage disputes were the strongest trigger, accounting for 42%, followed by working conditions at 16% and Government policies at 10%.

Strike activity was concentrated in key manufacturing and logistics hubs including China, Bangladesh, Brazil, India and the US, with additional notable disruptions in Mexico, Germany and France. This disproportionately affected labour‑intensive and time‑sensitive sectors such as apparel, food and beverages, agriculture, automotive, fuel and textiles, thereby amplifying downstream supply chain fragility.

Extreme weather events 

Extreme weather events reinforced how climate risk has evolved into a persistent driver of supply chain disruption. Climate incidents increasingly unfolded in clusters, compounding impacts across production, transportation and workforce availability.

Tim Wren, president of BSI Consulting, said: “2025 showed us that uncertainty is now constant and that it’s coming at us from multiple directions at once. We released this report later than usual to ensure it reflects the most up-to-date global developments. Disruptions are increasingly connected, amplifying their impact across global supply chains. The challenge for organisations is no longer just to respond, but to anticipate and lead through this complexity with greater clarity and co-ordination.”

*Copies of the Supply Chain Risks and Opportunities Insight Report can be downloaded from the BSI’s website