New government statistics indicate a persistent upward trend in shop thefts across the retail sector, with over 47,000 such incidents reported in Scotland last year. This alarming trend mirrors the situation in England and Wales, where shoplifting reached a record high in 2024, with a staggering 516,000 offences recorded—a 20% increase compared to the preceding year.
The British Retail Consortium estimates actual incidents might be far higher, with about £2.2bn lost annually to theft and another £1.8bn spent on crime prevention, including CCTV and security staff. Increasing violence and abuse towards retail employees is also being reported.
The Scottish Grocers’ Federation’s annual Crime Report 2024/2025 reveals a significant rise in the average cost of shop theft and vandalism. The average cost per store has increased to £19,673, representing a 38% increase from the previous year. This surge in crime has resulted in an annual crippling total cost of approximately £102.7 million.
In response to the latest crime figures, David Lonsdale, Director of the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC), said: “It’s appalling that thieving from shops has soared by almost a fifth over the past year. Despite record spending by retailers on crime prevention the rate of thefts continues to rise.
“Thieving from stores isn’t a victimless crime, indeed it’s a key factor behind rising levels of abuse and threats towards shop workers and we know from member feedback that thieves are becoming bolder and more aggressive. The financial cost pushes up prices for shoppers and undermines the health and vitality of our high streets.
“More needs to be done to reduce thieving from stores. We applaud Scottish Ministers and Police Scotland for the creation of the Retail Crime Taskforce, backed by dedicated one-year funding of £3 million. This greater prioritisation, funding, and focus on persistent offenders and organised criminal gangs which target retailers has been received well by the industry and early results are encouraging. This should make for a more difficult environment for shop thieves. However, the funding and taskforce should be sustained and enhanced if we are to truly turn the tide on thieving and crime against retailers.”
