The latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) shop theft figures reveal a “significant gap” between crimes recorded by police and the reality faced by retailers, according to the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS).
The ONS’s Crime Survey for England and Wales, published today, showed that in the 12 months to September 2025 there were 519,381 recorded shop theft offences, up from 492,660 the previous year.
The 5% increase marked the first time in several years that the overall shop theft record had not been broken every quarter, with the peak remaining the 12 month period to June 2025 at 529,994 offences.
However, the ACS said the official figures “pale in comparison” to the reality faced by retailers and their colleagues, with convenience stores alone recording more than 6.2 million theft incidents over the past year.
Elsewhere in the survey, the number of robberies of business properties rose sharply to 22,478 offences, an increase of 66% on the previous year. Meanwhile, offences involving knives and sharp instruments fell by 9% to 50,430.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “Tackling theft, abuse, robbery and other retail crime is a top priority for local shops, with over half a billion pounds spent in the last two years on crime prevention and detection measures.
“Significant positive steps have been made throughout the last year on increasing the visibility and accessibility of police forces in communities, and retailers tell us that their relationships with the police are improving. What we need now is a commitment throughout the justice system to break the cycle of reoffending.”
Responding to ONS data, Lucy Whing, crime policy adviser at the British Retail Consortium, said: “Retail theft is a serious issue for retailers across the country. While the causes are manifold, the rise in organised crime is particularly concerning, with gangs systematically targeting one store after another.
”Theft is also one of the main triggers for violence and abuse against retail workers. Government, police and retailers are committed to working together to turn the tide on crime.”
Whing added: ”We will soon see the implementation of the Crime and Policing Bill, which will remove the £200 threshold for ‘low level’ theft, sending a clear signal that shoplifting will not be tolerated. It will also introduce a standalone offence for assaulting a retail worker, strengthening sentencing and improving the visibility of violence against retail workers so that police can allocate the necessary resources to tackle this challenge and protect our high streets and colleagues.”
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