Shoplifting is on the rise in the UK due to rising food prices.
For the past two years, British citizens have been facing a persistent housing crisis, making it difficult for families to meet their needs. Between 2021 and 2022 the cost of living across the UK is set to rise sharply.
This situation has led to an increase in the number of incidents of shoplifting in the UK.
According to MetroOne in 10 young adults has admitted to stealing items from supermarket self-checkouts to cope with the cost of living crisis. Inflation has remained in double digits for months (the latest figure was 10.4%), with food and fuel costs skyrocketing.
“Households struggling under the burden of high price tags have seen the cost of food and non-alcoholic beverages rise by 19.1%; some have doubled in one year. Imported food rose by a quarter in the past year, according to Latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Essential items such as the children’s medicine Calpol are among the most stolen items in the UK, according to a report. Safety tags are becoming more frequent on specific products, such as milk and cheese.
Independent The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics for England and Wales show that shoplifting has increased by 22 per cent in the period up to September, the report said. Figures from the British Retail Consortium suggest the same, with 7.9 million cases reported last year, five million more than in 2016/17.
Meanwhile, a 2022 study by the Center for Retail Research found that shoplifting could cost the British economy £660 million in 2021-22.