Data protection laws are obstructing the fight against shoplifting, as retailers are prohibited from naming and shaming suspected thieves.
According to The Telegraph, retail bosses have complained that they are unable to put up photos of suspected shoplifters in stores to help employees keep an eye out for repeat offenders. Such a move would also act as a deterence to criminals.
It comes amid growing concern that police are ignoring the shoplifting problem, which has surged in recent months due to the cost-of-living crisis.
Under current data rules, supermarkets and convenience stores could be breaking the law if they release images of criminals.
Chief executive of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies, Dr Leyla Hannbeck, said stores should be allowed to publish CCTV images of thieves stealing without breaking the law “in light of police inaction”.
“The police are not doing anything about it and we are left to just put up with it,” she told The Telegraph.
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Meanwhile, John Lewis said it was not able to display images of suspected shoplifters in its stores unless police were involved – and even then the pictures were not allowed to be displayed near tills or shop exits.
Lucy Brown, head of security and fraud at John Lewis, said the retailer had to be “very careful about what we share” under data protection laws.
The Co-op recently revealed that crime, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour has become “out of control,” with more than 175,000 incidents recorded in the first six months of 2023.
Additionally, the convenience retailer found that police failed to respond to 71% of serious retail crimes reported.
