Retail leaders have said while a fall in shoplifting levels had to be welcomed the figures masked a far greater threat.

Independent retailers association, Bira said it cautiously welcomed a fall in recorded shoplifting offences, while warning that official figures likely understate the true scale of retail crime facing independent businesses.

Data from the Office for National Statistics shows shoplifting offences fell by 4% to 507,086 in the year ending March 2026, down from 530,324 the previous year. The figures also show robbery of personal property fell by 9% to 57,693 offences, although overall robbery rose by 10% to 87,362 offences, largely due to changes in how robbery of business property is recorded by police forces.

Andrew Goodacre, (above) CEO of Bira, explained: “We welcome the reported reduction in retail crime, and we are pleased that more people are being charged. We remain concerned that the level of retail crime remains extraordinarily high and now is not the time to relax and lose momentum. We are also concerned that the ONS stats may not reflect the true level of crime. In our own recent survey, a high percentage of members told us they do not report incidents, due to a historic lack of support.”

Bira has long campaigned for stronger action on retail crime, including better support for retailers to report incidents and tougher consequences for offenders.

Goodacre added that continued pressure on the issue remained essential to protecting shop workers and independent businesses on the high street.

Bira’s own retail crime survey, released last month, found that almost 77% of respondents had experienced theft in the past 12 months, up from 64% in Bira’s previous survey, with nearly 90% of those saying theft had worsened compared with the year before.

Staff safety is also a growing concern, with reports of employees of all ages being physically manhandled or threatened while trying to protect stock.

More than three quarters of respondents said they believed thieves were becoming more brazen, and over 75% identified repeat offenders as responsible for the theft they experienced. Responses described known individuals returning to the same stores repeatedly, groups using distraction tactics, and incidents linked to organised crime and drug dependency.

Over two thirds of respondents said verbal abuse towards staff had increased over the past 12 months, with incidents typically linked to challenging shoplifters or disputes over refunds and pricing. Seven per cent reported physical abuse, and 45% of those said the situation had worsened in the past year.

The financial toll is significant, with more than 10% of respondents estimating their total annual cost from retail crime – including security measures, lost stock and staff time – at over £10,000.

Bira added many retailers have fundamentally changed how they operate in response. Nearly two thirds said they had altered how they display or store products, with measures including locked cases, reduced floor stock, and items moved behind counters. Over a third said those changes had negatively affected sales or customer experience. More than 18% had been forced to increase staffing levels specifically to deter or manage crime.

Despite the scale of the problem, police response remains a persistent source of frustration. More than 45% of those who experienced theft did not report it to police at all. Of those who did, police attended in 67% of cases – and of those, just 35% led to a prosecution.

Cybercrime is also growing, with 20% of respondents reporting experience of it – up from under 15% previously – including a sharp rise in fraudulent transactions and chargeback abuse.

When asked what would make the most difference, 57% called for stronger sentencing, 55% for improved police response rates, and 45% for greater police presence on high streets.

Goodacre added: “These findings confirm what our members tell us every day – retail crime is not a fringe issue; it is a daily reality for independent businesses across Britain. The fact that nearly 90% of those who have experienced theft say it is getting worse, and that many retailers are now spending thousands of pounds a year trying to protect themselves, shows the scale of what is being asked of small business owners who simply want to trade and serve their communities.

“We need to see stronger enforcement, clearer sentencing, and a police presence that matches the problem. Independent retailers cannot continue to absorb these costs alone.”