Shoplifting offences reach record high in England and Wales
New figures from the Office for National Statistics have shown that shoplifting offences rose by 20% year-on-year to 530,643 in the 12 months to March 2025.
This marks the highest level since current police recording practices began in 2003.
The organisation’s latest statistical bulletin for crime England and Wales shows that the police recorded 1.8 million theft offences in in the year, which is the same as in the previous 12-month period. However, both shoplifting and theft from a person offences both rose as they continue to increase since the pandemic.
In response to the figures, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) emphasised that retail theft costs businesses and their customers over £2.2 billion annually and is a major driver of violence and abuse toward staff. It also warned that organised crime is a growing threat, with gangs targeting multiple stores in a single day.
Subscribe to TRBThe BRC said: “Following our representations, the government is taking action to address retail crime through the new Crime and Policing Bill.
“Retailers hope this will play a vital role in protecting retail workers from harm and tackling the surge in theft. It will remove the £200 threshold for ‘low level’ theft, which will send a clear signal that all shoplifting is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
“The Bill will also introduce a standalone offence for assaulting a retail worker, which will increase sentencing and improve the visibility of violence against staff so that police can allocate appropriate resources to the challenge.
“This Bill needs to go further and protect all retail staff working in customer facing roles, including delivery drivers, just as the Workers Protection Act does in Scotland.”
