Category Archives: Shoplifting

As reported on the BBC News website, convenience store owners represented by the Federation of Independent Retailers are calling on the government for help in combatting the rise in shoplifting offences.

One trader, Mr Selvaratnam, says his staff are facing both verbal and physical abuse.

The Mail Online reports that ten of Britain’s top retailers have agreed to fund a police crackdown on shoplifting gangs.

John Lewis, Co-op, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Next are among those reportedly investing £600,000 into the operation, dubbed Project Pegasus.

As reported on the Reuters website, the Primark fashion chain joined industry calls for authorities to crack down shoplifting as its profit margins were suffering.

Also, Sharon White, chair of John Lewis Partnership said Britain is seeing an “epidemic” of shoplifting, in an interview with the BBC.

The Mail Online website reports that Britain’s high streets are having to endure large-scale shoplifting, targeted by county lines-style gangs stealing items to order.

Chain retailers and independent businesses are suffering from the crime epidemic fuelled by people struggling with food bills amid high inflation.

According to the Metro website, first-time offenders caught shoplifting could now receive just a caution from police, it has been revealed.

The guidance is part of Government efforts to end a patchwork of cautions, warnings and penalties used to deal with minor crimes.

According to the website theindustry.fashion, incidents of retail theft have increased by 26% across ten of the largest cities in the UK.

Cases which include abuse, or physical assault, have also risen from the pre-COVID high of over 450 per day in 2019/20, to over 850 per day in 2022.