A new report has revealed that the cost of retail crime rose sharply last year, adding to the concerns already facing the industry.
According to the latest British Retail Consortium (BRC) Retail Crime Survey, the overall cost soared by 31 per cent to £1.4bn in 2011, while spending on crime prevention was also up 1.4 per cent at £214m. The number of robberies climbed by 20 per cent, with an increase in the use of physical violence also reported.
“Retailers have made significant investment to protect their staff, stock and premises from opportunistic crime,” said BRC director-general Stephen Robertson. “What is left is a core of more serious and organised criminals who are making off with goods in larger quantities and of higher value.”
The poll also found that around 35,000 retail sector staff were subjected to physical attacks, anti-social behaviour or verbal abuse last year, while the riots in August affected some 20,000 workers.
Last week, the BRC-Nielsen Shop Price Index indicted that shop price inflation fell to its lowest level for 16 months in December, easing some of the pressure on struggling consumers.
