Theft and violence against retail workers in Britain soared to record levels last year and are "out of control", driven in part by criminal gangs, according to a report cited by "Reuters".
The annual crime survey by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) found that in the year to August 31, 2024. There were more than 20 million incidents of theft, which is equivalent to 55,000 a day, costing retailers a total of £2.2 billion ($2.7 billion).
The BRC reports that more crime is linked to organised gangs systematically attacking shops across the country. At the same time, incidents of violence and abuse against retail workers have risen to more than 2,000 a day, up from 1,300 in the previous period.
"Retail crime is spiralling out of control. People in retail are being spat at, racially abused and threatened with weapons. "Every day this continues, criminals are becoming bolder and more aggressive," said Helen Dickinson, head of the BRC.
Trust in the police response remains low - 61% of traders surveyed described the authorities' intervention as "bad" or "very bad".
"Without a real police presence, it is not surprising that criminals feel impunity," Dickinson added.
The BRC reported a record rise in security spending, with retailers investing £1.8 billion in measures such as CCTV, security and anti-theft devices, compared with £1.2 billion a year earlier.
For its part, the police say they have made progress.
"We have increased cooperation with retailers and improved information sharing, which has led to the arrests of many serious offenders," said Deputy Chief Alex Goss, head of the National Council of Police Chiefs for Retail Crime.
The new Labour government has promised tougher measures against theft and anti-social behaviour, as well as the introduction of a separate offence for assault on workers in the sector.
The issue has been put on the agenda by the largest British retailers, including Tesco, John Lewis and Primark, with similar trends being seen in the US and other countries.