Tackling Retail Crime Together Strategy - why do we need it?
The Tackling Retail Crime Together strategy was launched on July 14th by the former Policing Minister, Dame Diana Johnson.
To support the strategy, the NBCC launched the Tackling Retail Crime Together campaign to raise awareness, share practical tools and support stronger partnerships between police, businesses, and local communities.
Retail crime affects everyone, large retailers face organised theft and rising losses, independent businesses often lack the resources for private security or high-tech deterrents, staff on the frontline deal with daily aggression and fear and communities lose vital shops and services when stores close or relocate.
With margins already tight, these crimes threaten jobs, local economies, and public confidence in the retail environment. Together with open communication, smart solutions and strong partnerships, we can protect our shops, our people and our communities.
When police forces, local councils, and retailers work together, we see results. Intelligence is shared more effectively, and offenders are identified and deterred more quickly. Support systems are put in place for staff who face abuse or violence. The NBCC is proud to support and promote this joined-up approach, although retail crime is a growing challenge, it isn’t inevitable.
What is Retail Crime?
Retail crime refers to any criminal activity that targets or takes place within retail environments, whether on the shop floor, at the tills, in stockrooms, or even online.
It covers a wide range of offences, including:
Shoplifting – stealing goods from a store without paying.
Fraud – using false identities, counterfeit money, or stolen payment methods.
Criminal damage – vandalism or destruction of property such as breaking windows, damaging shelves, or tagging graffiti.
Abuse or violence towards staff – verbal threats, aggression, harassment, or physical and verbal assault directed at retail workers.
Organised retail crime – coordinated groups systematically stealing high-value goods or committing repeat offences.
Employee theft – where staff steal stock, cash, or sensitive information which is then shared.
Cyber-enabled retail crime – such as phishing scams, account takeovers, or refund frauds via online platforms.
Retail crime can be opportunistic or premeditated, isolated or part of organised networks but in every form, it causes real harm, financially, emotionally, and socially.
Why have we launched ‘Tackling Retail Crime Together’ -
Retail crime has reached record levels, and its impact goes far beyond lost stock or financial loss. Shopworkers, security staff, and business owners are being abused, threatened, and assaulted often in the same communities they live in. From organised criminal groups exploiting vulnerable people to fund illegal activity, to prolific offenders and opportunists who steal without fear of consequences, the motivations behind retail crime are complex and varied.
There’s no single fix, but there is a way forward. That’s why the Tackling Retail Crime Together strategy was created; led by Assistant Chief Constable Alex Goss, NPCC lead for retail crime. This new approach brings together policing, retailers, the security industry, and academia with one clear aim, to turn the tide on retail crime. The strategy focuses on smarter data use, managing repeat offenders, sharing what works, and tracking real outcomes. It’s about consistency, collaboration, and most importantly, making a difference.
A separate offence for assaulting a retailer worker will now be created, this means that for the first time violence against retail workers will be recorded and counted as an offence – by recording these incidents as a separate offence we will have a much clearer picture of how many of these incidents are happening to therefor understand the level of police and recourses needed to approach the issue.
Together, we can break the cycle of offending and help make retail safer for everyone.
To view the strategy and branding toolkits please visit the new NBCC funded website: Home - Tackling Retail Crime Together
