Government acts as UK retail crime escalates
In response, the government has introduced new legislation aimed at curbing the growing crisis.
According to the British Retail Consortium's (BRC) 2025 Crime Survey, the total cost of retail crime, including prevention measures, rose to £4.2bn in 2023/24, up from £3.3bn the previous year. Customer theft alone accounted for £2.2bn of these losses.
The survey also reported over 20 million incidents of theft during the same period.
Violence and abuse towards retail workers have escalated dramatically, with more than 2,000 incidents occurring daily—an increase of over 50% from the previous year.
Notably, 70 of these daily incidents involved a weapon, more than double the previous year's figure.
In response to the escalating retail crime crisis, the UK government has introduced the Crime and Policing Bill 2025.
Key measures include the creation of a standalone offence for assaulting a retail worker, carrying a maximum penalty of six months in prison and/or an unlimited fine.
Upon first conviction, courts are expected to impose a Criminal Behaviour Order, potentially barring offenders from specific premises.
The bill also repeals Section 22A of the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980, which previously allowed shoplifting of goods valued under £200 to be treated as a summary offence.
This change ensures that all shop thefts are treated with the seriousness they deserve, with potential custodial sentences of up to seven years.
Retail industry bodies, including the BRC, have welcomed the proposed legislation but stress the need for effective implementation and enforcement.
They advocate for increased police presence and better support for retail workers to combat the growing threat of retail crime.
As retail crime continues to impact businesses and communities across the UK, the effectiveness of these legislative measures will be closely monitored in the coming months.
"Government acts as UK retail crime escalates" was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand.
The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
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