Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many thefts from retail businesses there have been in each of the last three years.

Since 2010 theft offences experienced by the general population has fallen by 48%, according to the Crime Survey for England and Wales, but shoplifting has been increasing in the last three years, as shown in the table.

Source: ONS Crime in England and Wales: year ending December 2023, Appendix Table A4.

There must be a zero tolerance approach to such crime which is why, alongside key partners, this Government is taking concerted action to address the menace of retail crime. The Government’s plan – "Fighting retail crime: more action" was launched on 10 April, and highlights five areas of work this Government will drive forward to tackle retail crime:

• Introducing a standalone offence for assaults on retail workers;
• Additional electronic monitoring for prolific shoplifters;
• Working with police and businesses to roll out the latest facial recognition to catch these perpetrators;
• Championing good practice to design out crime; and
• Making it easier for retailers to report crime.