Survey reveals decrease in shoplifting incidents amid rising reports

  • Shoplifting showing signs of falling, according to new survey
  • 26% of retail businesses experienced shopper theft last year, compared to record high of 28% in 2022
  • Separate report found shoplifting reports hit highest level in 20 years
  • Commercial Victimisation Survey (CVS) shows two percentage point drop in thefts
  • More than three-quarters of supermarkets experienced theft from shoppers
  • 45% of companies didn’t report crimes to police, suggesting actual number could be higher
  • Around a third of companies satisfied with police response to reported crimes
  • Assaulting a shopworker to be made separate criminal offence in England and Wales

Shoplifting is showing signs of falling, according to a new survey, amid widespread reports of a rise in thefts. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) poll indicates that 26% of retail businesses experienced shopper theft last year, compared to a record high of 28% in 2022. However, a separate ONS report based on police crime figures found that shoplifting reports hit their highest level in 20 years. The Commercial Victimisation Survey (CVS) shows a two percentage point drop in thefts, making it a more reliable measure. The survey also revealed that more than three-quarters of supermarkets experienced theft from shoppers, and 45% of companies that fell victim to crime did not report it to the police. This suggests that the actual number of crimes could be higher than the police figures show. Additionally, around a third of companies that did report a crime were satisfied with the police response, while 41% reported being unsatisfied. In April, assaulting a shopworker was made a separate criminal offence in England and Wales as part of the government’s efforts to combat shoplifting.

Factuality Level: 7
Factuality Justification: The article provides information based on surveys and reports from reputable sources like the Office for National Statistics. It presents statistics and data to support the claims made about the decrease in shoplifting incidents. However, it could benefit from more context on the methodology of the surveys and potential factors contributing to the decrease in shoplifting.
Noise Level: 3
Noise Justification: The article provides relevant information on the trends of shoplifting based on different surveys and reports. It includes data and statistics to support its claims, and also discusses the implications of the findings, such as the impact on businesses and the government’s response. The article stays on topic and does not include irrelevant information.
Financial Relevance: No
Financial Markets Impacted: No
Presence Of Extreme Event: No
Nature Of Extreme Event: No
Impact Rating Of The Extreme Event: No
Rating Justification:

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