Co-op is now reporting 1,000 thefts every single day

The shoplifting epidemic continues around the UK as the number of thefts targeting retailers has hit an all-time high, prompting retailers to invest more in security and calls for harsher penalties on violent offenders.

But despite speculation of household desperation amid the cost of living crisis, supermarket giant Co-op is pointing the finger at organised criminal gangs.

The effect of shoplifting on UK supermarkets

The Co-op’s public affairs director Paul Gerrard said that crime has increased by 44%, while violence and abuse have risen by 35%.

“That level of crime in our stores is 1,000 incidents every single day” he stated. “That is the highest level we have ever seen, levels of abuse are at the highest level we have ever seen and violence has dipped slightly in 2024, but it is still a very high level.”

Iceland’s boss Richard Walker has also called for changes in data protection laws, to allow staff to share pictures of shoplifters on WhatsApp groups. He further added that he would take full responsibility for staff who face legal repercussions for sharing this information.

Smaller stores have also been hit hard by shoplifting, with 57% of businesses losing over £250 in the past year, while 16% say they have lost between £1,000-£5,000. The ACS Crime Report 2024 also revealed that 5.6 million shoplifting offences were committed in corner shops last year.

Co-op blames organised crime for the rise in shoplifting

While some argue that the rise of shoplifting has been a result of desperation due to the current cost of living crisis, Gerrard stated that organisational crime is the primary cause of this drastic increase.

“There have always been people who steal to make ends meet and you could argue that happens more in a cost of living crisis, but that is not what is driving the 44% increase,” he commented. 

“What is driving it is people who are stealing to order huge volumes, people coming into our stores with wheelie bins, people coming into our store with builders bags to steal the entire confectionery section, the entire spirit section, the entire meat section.”

Gerrard also added that staff have been threatened and attacked when trying to stop shoplifters, sometimes with weapons like a knife or syringe. 

“I’ve had colleagues attacked with a medieval mace. We’ve had colleagues lose their eye or colleagues miscarry. This is a level of violence, abuse and threat that nobody in retail has ever seen before.” he said.

How the government and businesses are tackling in-store theft

The government has been taking steps to tackle violent shoplifters. It announced in April 2024 that it would invest £55.5 million in facial recognition technology. This includes £4 million for bespoke mobile units with live facial recognition that can be used in crowded areas to identify offenders. It also announced a new crime bill in July 2024, which would see tougher consequences for “low value” thefts of goods worth under £200.

Meanwhile, retailers have also come together to prevent shoplifting and staff abuse through Project Pegasus – a partnership between 13 high street stores to support local police in identifying organised crime groups operating in the area. This includes providing police with CCTV images for facial recognition checks.

Supermarkets like Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Co-op have also taken matters into their own hands through the use of technology. 

Both Co-op and Sainsbury’s have utilised artificial intelligence (AI) technology in their self-service machines to better monitor checkouts and make it more difficult for shoplifters to deceive self-checkout systems. Meanwhile, Tesco started adding security tags to shopping baskets to combat its own shoplifting problem.

As shoplifting incidents reach unprecedented levels across the UK, retailers big and small and the government are intensifying efforts to combat incidents and protect staff. Through the use of advanced technology, increased security measures and initiatives like Project Pegasus, the fight against organised crime and in-store theft continues.