Shoplifting has hit a record high with 16.7 million incidents recorded last year – more than double compared to 2022.
The spate cost retailers around £1.8bn, a record sum, and the first time it has surpassed the £1bn mark, according to an annual survey by the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
Violence and abuse against shop workers also spiked last year with about 1,300 incidents daily, a rise of 50% from 870 the year before, the trade association reported.
About 8,800 of the total across the year resulted in injury.
Retail staff faced a range of incidents including physical violence, threats with weapons, racial abuse and sexual harassment.
Shoplifting and abuse come hand in hand as, in November, it was revealed as many as two in five employees faced mistreatment reported being shouted at, spat on, or hit especially when confronting the criminals.
Many have considered quitting their jobs or leaving retail work altogether.
The industry group – which has thousands of members including more than 200 major chains – surveyed a sample of retailers representing some 1.1 million employees across the country.
Some of the retailers surveyed pointed to the cost-of-living crisis which had led to shoplifters stealing several items as opposed to one or two.
Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation hit a peak of 11.1% in October 2022, with people seeing much higher prices for everyday essentials such as food and electricity.
Other retailers said they had seen shoplifters were more prone to resort to violence and abuse, and they felt there was a lack of consequences for offenders.
During COVID, people lashed out…
