The UK’s cost-of-living crisis is fueling a record surge in shoplifting as people increasingly turn to the black market for food, The Guardian has reported, citing official data.
Estimates by the British Retail Consortium show that retail thefts cost the industry £1 billion ($1.3 billion) in 2023, the newspaper said. Meanwhile, Home Office data shows that shoplifting has reached its highest level since records began, while the number of unresolved incidents has also risen.
According to the report, the items most commonly stolen are meat, cheese, and sweets, which are typically considered high value goods that can be resold. The items are being stolen in large quantities from shops and trucks in order to be sold to people hit by soaring prices.