Shop theft in convenience stores has dropped after retailers poured record investment into crime prevention and detection measures last year, according to the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS).
The ACS 2026 Crime Report, released today, recorded 5.8 million incidents of shop theft in 2025, down from 6.2 million the previous year.
Verbal abuse also fell, from 1.2 million incidents to just over 950,000 year on year.
However, the overall cost of crime increased to an estimated £354m over the last year - equivalent to £7,137 per store - up from £316m the previous year.
The fall in incidents comes as convenience retailers spent a record £313m in crime prevention and detection measures, investing in CCTV, security tagging, protective screens, facial recognition and AI store monitoring to keep their stock secure and their colleagues safe.
The ACS said reporting is on the rise, with 64% of retailers reporting more crime to the police than they did last year.
While the figures on theft and abuse were “moving slowly in the right direction”, they still represented a “daily battle for thousands of local shops against hardened criminals and organised gangs”, said ACS CEO Ed Woodall.
The combined cost of crime and retailers’ investment in prevention adds up to an 11p ‘crime tax’ on every transaction in the UK’s local shops, according to the report.
Woodall added: “Recent efforts from the government and the police to tackle retail crime on our high streets and in our town centres are welcome, along with an increased police presence that makes the biggest difference to how safe people feel in their communities.
“We must continue this momentum when the Crime and Policing Bill comes into force and send a clear message that together, retailers, the police and the justice system will not tolerate theft.”
Commenting on the report, crime and policing minister Sarah Jones said: “I’m pleased this report shows the progress the government is making to tackle shop theft. Working alongside partners like ACS, charges are now up by 21%.
“But we can’t be complacent. That’s why we are giving police the powers they need to crack down on perpetrators, including making it a specific offence to assault retail workers and scrapping the £200 rule that lets too many offenders off the hook.
“An additional 3,000 neighbourhood officers will be in place by Spring. We will also deliver major policing reforms which will see a National Police Service take on national responsibilities, so local forces can focus on local crime like shop theft.”
For the first time, the report highlighted the growing impact of the illicit trade in tobacco, alcohol, vapes and electricals.
A total of 85% of retailers said illicit sales have increased around their business, and one in four said they had seen stolen products from their store being resold locally.
Fiona Malone of Tenby Stores and Post Office said: “Retail crime drains thousands from our business and takes a real toll on staff. Facial recognition has helped us identify offenders and provide stronger evidence to police, but we need clearer backing so we can use it confidently and consistently.”
Benedict Selvaratnam of Freshfields Market said: “Our relationship with local police is improving, and we’re starting to see more support for tackling crime in stores. There are still gaps in response and follow-up, and more needs to be done to ensure incidents are addressed consistently and effectively.”
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