11 hours ago
German Retail Losses Hit New High as Criminal Gangs Target Shops
Germany's retailers are seeing more stock vanish from shelves as in-store theft, driven in part by organized crime, reaches new heights.
Retail inventory losses in Germany rose to €4.95 billion ($5.7 billion) in 2024, a 3% increase from the previous year and the highest number ever recorded in industry surveys by the Cologne-based EHI Retail Institute. The increase was largely due to a nearly 5% rise in shoplifting, and a growing number of thefts associated with organized criminal groups, which typically steal at least €1,000 in goods per offense.
