Retailers have been warned shoplifting could rise sharply ahead of England’s World Cup quarter-final against Norway, after theft increased in the run-up to the team’s last-16 win over Mexico.

New figures from store intelligence firm SAI showed incidents of retail theft climbed 16% ahead of England’s 3-2 victory over Mexico on Monday 6 July.

The data, taken from SAI’s One Platform, which analyses activity across more than 1,000 UK retail locations and more than 20,000 cameras a day, found shoplifting peaked at 12 noon before the late-night fixture.

Packaged snacks and food goods were among the most stolen items, as fans stocked up ahead of the match.

The South East recorded the biggest uplift in retail theft, with incidents up 27 per cent, while London saw a 12 per cent increase.

SAI said there was also evidence of wider disruption in stores before the game, with violent incidents up five per cent on Sunday 5 July. Operational alerts, linked to pressure on store teams and in-store activity, rose six per cent against the Sunday average.

Across all of England’s World Cup fixtures so far, SAI said store crime, including shoplifting, violence and abuse, had increased by an average of 11 per cent in the build-up to matches.

SAI head of marketing and insight Chris Bell said England’s progress in the tournament was creating both commercial opportunity and operational pressure for retailers.

“England heading to a Quarter Final usually spells penalties on the pitch, however retailers are facing their own World Cup-related penalties in-store,” he said.

“As the Three Lions’ success drives rising footfall, fan excitement and heightened emotions, stores are seeing theft and crime rates climb at a time when many are looking to capitalise on the revenue opportunities the tournament presents.”

The warning comes ahead of England’s quarter-final against Norway on Saturday 11 July, with SAI forecasting a 26% rise in shoplifting before the fixture.

Stores located near fan zones, as well as convenience retailers, are expected to be among the most exposed to crime-related incidents.

The figures underline the extra pressure major sporting events can place on store teams, particularly in grocery and convenience, where shoppers often make last-minute purchases before kick-off.

While major tournaments can drive higher sales of snacks, drinks and food-to-go, they can also create flashpoints around crowding, alcohol-led behaviour and theft.

Bell added: “England’s World Cup success is proving to be a double-edged sword for retailers.

“As the Three Lions’ run gathers momentum, the same excitement driving footfall and sales opportunities is also creating the perfect conditions for theft, violence and store disruption.

“This means retailers will need to ensure their operations are match-fit, enabling them to pre-empt and react quickly to issues in-store to ensure the safety of customers and colleagues.”

The latest figures suggest major match days are becoming another operational pressure point for retailers already dealing with rising levels of theft and abuse in stores.

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