New report reveals fall in theft from convenience stores
The convenience sector has seen a year-on-year fall in the number of shop theft incidents following record investment by local shops in crime prevention and detection measures.
The Association of Convenience Stores’ annual Crime Report reveals that shop theft fell to 5.8 million incidents over the past year, down from 6.2 million in 2025. Incidents of verbal abuse also declined, from 1.2 million to just under 950,000.
Subscribe to TRBConvenience retailers spent a record £313 million in crime prevention and detection measures in the period, including CCTV, security tagging, protective screens, facial recognition and AI store monitoring. The association said it is also seeing more reporting of crime, with 64% of retailers stating they are reporting more crime to the police than last year.
The report has revealed that the combined cost of crime and crime prevention amounts to an 11p ‘crime tax’ on every transaction in the UK’s local shops.
ACS chief executive Ed Woodall said: “Convenience stores are doing everything they can to keep their colleagues and customers safe, investing in defensive measures to protect their businesses.
“The latest numbers on theft and abuse are moving slowly in the right direction, but still represent a daily battle for thousands of local shops against hardened criminals and organised gangs that are brazenly clearing entire shelves and targeting high value products to sell on elsewhere.
“Recent efforts from the Government and the police to tackle retail crime on our high streets and in our town centres are welcome, along with an increased police presence that makes the biggest difference to how safe people feel in their communities.
“We must continue this momentum when the Crime and Policing Bill comes into force and send a clear message that together, retailers, the police and the justice system will not tolerate theft.”
The report shows that the top three products targeted by thieves are alcohol, confectionery and meat. It also reveals that 61% of retailers believe that anti-social behaviour in or around their store has increased over the past year while 52% believe incidents involving organised crime groups have also risen.
This year’s report also highlights the growing impact of illicit trade in tobacco, alcohol, vapes, and electricals for the first time. Some 85% of retailers reported an increase in illicit product sales in their area, with one in four noticing stolen goods being resold locally.
Crime and Policing Minister Sarah Jones said: “I’m pleased this report shows the progress the government is making to tackle shop theft. Working alongside partners like ACS, charges are now up by 21%”
“But we can’t be complacent. That’s why we are giving police the powers they need to crack down on perpetrators, including making it a specific offence to assault retail workers and scrapping the £200 rule that lets too many offenders off the hook.
“An additional 3,000 neighbourhood officers will be in place by Spring. We will also deliver major policing reforms which will see a National Police Service take on national responsibilities, so local forces can focus on local crime like shop theft.”
