SRC: Spiralling Shop Theft and Violence causing Misery for Shopkeepers

Police Scotland has this morning published the latest Recorded Crime in Scotland statistics. The figures show that between 2024-25 and 2025-26:

• Recorded crimes of shoplifting increased by 19% from 44,730 to 53,369 crimes,
• Common assaults of a retail worker increased by ten per cent from 2,870 to 3,162

Commenting on the figures, Ewan MacDonald-Russell, Deputy Head of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said:

“The spiralling increase of violence and shop theft is causing misery for Scottish shopkeepers and customers. More than eight times a day Scottish shopworkers are being assaulted, with at least one of those attacks causing injury. Despite hundreds of millions of pounds on investment in security from retailers this unacceptable behaviour continues and must be tackled. 

 

"Shop theft continues to be an epidemic with hundreds of incidents a day. Thieving from stores isn’t a victimless crime. It’s a key factor behind rising levels of abuse and threats towards shop workers and we know from member feedback that thieves are becoming bolder and more aggressive. We estimate the cost of shop theft was £50 million in Scotland last year – an enormous burden. That cost is paid for through higher prices and a worse shopping experience which undermines the health and vitality of our high streets.

 

“These figures highlight the scale of criminality affecting Scotland's shops. However, it's worth noting some of the increase is a consequence of the increased police response following the creation of the Retail Crime Taskforce. Retailers are starting to increase reporting in the hope Police Scotland will be able to respond more effectively than in the past. So while this rise may not mark an increase in crime rather just in the reporting of crime, that doesn't obviate the need for more action. 

 

“However, even these elevated figures are unlikely to capture the full picture of retail crime.  Our most recent crime report found there were 590,000 incidents of assault and 5,451,000 incidents of theft from stores across the UK last year. That reaffirms the need for the Retail Crime Taskforce funding be sustained and enhanced and for the courts to play their part if we are to truly turn the tide on thieving and crime against retailers.”

 

ENDS- 

Notes to Editors

 

• According to the Recorded Crime in Scotland figures published this morning: “Shoplifting: Between 2024-25 and 2025-26, recorded crimes of Shoplifting increased by 19% from 44,730 to 53,369 crimes. There was an 86% increase over the 10 year period between 2016-17 and 2025-26, from 28,650 to 53,369 crimes. Shoplifting decreased considerably in 2020-21; this was likely due to the Covid-19 pandemic related restrictions. Since then, it has increased for five consecutive years and is now at the highest level since 1971.
• Common assaults of a retail worker increased by ten per cent from 2,870 to 3,162. This included 479 common assaults with injury and 2,683 common assaults without injury. 
• The SRC recently published a briefing on retail facts and figures which includes our Scottish estimate on the cost of shop theft: https://brc.org.uk/media/epgl0s51/src-key-facts-and-figures_printed-version-1.pdf
• The British Retail Consortium’s Crime Report was published in February and can be found here: https://brc.org.uk/media/bk1n3umn/crime-survey-2026.pdf