Recent statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have revealed that almost 444,000 shoplifting offences in England and Wales were reported to the police between March 2023 and 2024 – the highest figure in two decades. While the government has voiced its commitment to tackling rising shoplifting incidents and falling punishment rates, retailers urgently need to prevent further losses. According to Harrison Retail, it is critical that retailers identify potential weaknesses in-store and implement solutions to prevent theft.
Shoplifting is costing retailers almost £1.8 billion a year. From faulty self-checkout systems to the high price of products, experts are touting a variety of reasons as the driving force behind the issue. This has resulted in some retailers taking serious measures to try to prevent repeat offences, particularly in light of low prosecution rates by the police.
Booths removed self-checkouts from most supermarkets towards the end of 2023, while other retailers have increased security to include dummy products, body cams on security guards and expensive cybersecurity equipment.
While challenges continue to confront retailers, there are innovative solutions that can mitigate theft and its impact in a way that complements store design and functionality, while improving the customer experience.
Rolf Whiteman, Sales Director at Harrison Retail said: “While shoplifting must be handled by the police and appropriate authorities, tackling the growing issue of theft must be a joint effort between the government, police and retailers.
“There are many ways that retailers can prevent shoplifting in stores that can actually make the in-store experience better for shoppers, rather than needing to remove convenience or create an unwelcoming environment. One of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to achieve this is by implementing loss-prevention retail solutions that deter criminals and make theft more challenging. For example, retailers can introduce shelving solutions so potential criminals aren’t able to sweep vast quantities of products off the shelf at once. Anti-theft security tethers are another solution that can be customised and adapted to the store and its products. They maintain the display appeal of products while deterring theft.
“Nobody needs to take the law into their own hands, but there are ways to hamper potential criminals to make it almost impossible for shoplifting to take place. Simple, tailored shelving solutions are an essential piece of the puzzle that can help retailers to reduce crime levels within their premises while protecting their staff, products, stores and profits.”
