Retail theft in the UK has reached alarming new heights, with shoplifting offences rising by 20% in the year to March 2025, according to new data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The total number of reported incidents reached 530,643, intensifying pressure on the government and retailers to address the surge in both theft and violence.
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Tom Ironside, Director of Business & Regulation at the British Retail Consortium (BRC), responded to the figures:
'The ONS figures prove what retailers have long been telling us – that retail theft is spiralling out of control. Sadly, such theft is not a victimless crime; it pushes up the cost for honest shoppers and damages the customer experience for everyone.'
Retail theft now costs the UK industry and its customers over £2.2 billion a year. Beyond the economic damage, the rise in criminal activity is increasingly being linked to organised gangs. 'The rise in organised crime is a significant concern, with gangs hitting store after store, even within a single day,' Ironside added.
The crisis extends well beyond theft alone. Violence and abuse against retail workers have soared to over 2,000 incidents per day, affecting not only store staff but also delivery drivers. 'Delivery drivers are often subjected to abuse, physical violence, and threats with weapons,' Ironside warned. In response, many are now being issued personal safety devices and DNA spit testing kits to alert authorities and deter attackers.
Following consistent lobbying by the BRC, the UK Government has introduced measures within the new Crime and Policing Bill, aimed at reversing the retail crime crisis. The Bill will remove the controversial £200 threshold for "low-level" theft, a move welcomed by retailers. It will also create a standalone offence for assaulting retail workers, increasing sentencing and ensuring better visibility of violent incidents.
'This Bill needs to go further and protect all retail staff working in customer facing roles, including delivery drivers, just as the Workers Protection Act does in Scotland,' Ironside stressed.
As retail crime surges across the UK, industry leaders hope that stronger legal protections and enforcement will provide the necessary deterrence and help restore confidence among workers and consumers alike.
More information:
British Retail Consortium (BRC)
[email protected]
www.brc.org.uk
