Theft of alcohol, meat and confectionery is at its highest rate in a decade as the cost-of-living crisis continues.
According to the Association of Convenience Stores, over 1.1m incidents of theft were recorded in 2022, up from 970,000 in 2021.
The report found that higher value shop items including alcohol, confectionery and meat are more likely to be stolen as they can typically be sold on.
“Repeat offenders, known to the community and known to the police, are stealing without fear of reproach,” ACS chief executive, James Lowman told the Financial Times.
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Around 80% of the retailers that ACS surveyed said that a large number of store staff have experienced verbal abuse in the past year and that the cost-of-living crisis was the main cause for a rise in theft.
This comes as grocery price inflation remains in the double-digit at 16.5% for the four weeks to 11 June.
While this has fallen for the third consecutive month to the lowest level since 2022, it is the sixth highest monthly figure in the past 15 years.
The cost of food in supermarkets also rose by 0.9% in May alone.
In March, ACS reported that local shops have also been affected by a rise in theft as a result of the cost-of-living crisis.
A total of 63% of independent retailers reported that theft in their businesses had either increased (35%) or stayed the same (28%) over the last year, with just 9% reporting a decrease in levels of shop theft.
