Nearly a quarter of Britons have witnessed shoplifting or seen retail workers subjected to physical or verbal abuse over the past year, as criminals become “bolder and more aggressive,” according to a new survey. Research by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Opinium found that 24% of respondents had observed shoplifting, while 23% had seen retail staff abused. The findings highlight a sharp rise in retail crime, with 55,000 thefts occurring daily and incidents of violence and abuse increasing by 50% last year.

The number of violent incidents has reached record levels, averaging more than 2,000 per day, including 70 involving a weapon. Nottingham has emerged as a hotspot for retail crime, with 32% of residents reporting shoplifting incidents, followed closely by London at 29%. Other cities, such as Southampton, Leeds, and Manchester, have also recorded above-average crime rates. In contrast, Liverpool, Brighton, and Sheffield report lower levels of shop theft compared to other major cities.

The BRC’s crime survey, published in January, estimates the annual cost of retail theft at £2.2 billion. Retailers partly attribute the surge in shoplifting to financial pressures caused by inflation but also point to organised criminal gangs systematically targeting stores. The situation has worsened since a 2014 legal change in England and Wales, which allows those caught stealing goods worth less than £200 to avoid prison or face a maximum sentence of six months.

Retailers argue that staff reductions due to cost-cutting and the increased use of self-service checkouts have left stores more vulnerable to crime. With criminals growing more brazen, businesses are calling for stronger legal deterrents and greater police intervention to curb rising theft and violence in retail spaces.