According to research from Group 4 Securicor, 17 per cent (7.7 million) of British adults admit to having shoplifted at some time in their life and 40 per cent (18 million) of people know a friend or acquaintance who has shoplifted.
The research comes just six weeks before Christmas when retailers are preparing for the busiest time of year both in terms of sales volume and shoplifting. Group 4 Securicor (UK Security), which commissioned the research, believes that the findings highlight the daily problems faced by retailers from shoplifting, particularly over the Christmas period. Over three million people think that shoplifting does not harm retailers while more than four million believe that retailers deserve to be targeted because it is so easy to do. Some 11 million people believe that shoplifting from large retailers is less damaging than to smaller shops. Douglas Greenwell, Marketing Director of Group 4 Securicor (UK Security) said: "Although the Christmas period is the busiest time for retailers, the festive spirit can quickly evaporate after an incidence of shoplifting. Perhaps of greatest concern to retailers is the attitude of 21 per cent of people who believe that shoplifting is ‘just a phase people go through’ and that most people do it at least once in their life. Our research shows that 27 per cent of the public regard a uniformed security presence as the best deterrent against shoplifting. We typically see an uplift of 15 to 20 per cent in the number of security officers employed by retailers during the six weeks prior to Christmas. However, it’s clear that retailers must have a comprehensive security solution that incorporates both electronic and manned security to mitigate the risks they face." These figures are a major concern for UK retailers which, the firm adds, already face an average loss of almost £3,000 a year per outlet from shoplifting and have the highest shrinkage levels in Europe.
About the firm
The UK security group of companies is made up of Group 4 Total Security, Group 4 Securitas Northern Ireland Limited, Wackenhut UK Limited, Securicor Security Limited and Securicor Aviation Limited. For further information on Group 4 Falck or Securicor Security visit www.group4.co.uk or
