Shop theft continues to be the most costly and high volume sort of crime that retailers face – and it’s the biggest challenge that small shops face.
So says the crime report 2015 by the trade body the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS). Some three-quarters, 76 per cent, of such retailers have suffered some sort of theft since 2012. Whereas in the British Retail Consortium crime survey featured last issue – see also over the page – the association reports more than half their members believe that such crime is by a lone thief. The top three products targeted were: alcohol, meat and cheese. ACS chief executive James Lowman spoke of shop theft as ‘a gateway offence that can lead to much more serious crime’. It’s not all bad news; the trade body reports a steady decline over the last five years in violence and verbal abuse against staff. Much as in retail generally, the main triggers for abuse are age-restricted sales; refusals to serve drunks; and (perceived poor) customer service.
To download a free copy of the 11-page report, visit the ACS website – http://www.acs.org.uk/research/crime-report-2015/
