Faced with a sharp rise in brazen and aggressive shoplifting, UK convenience retailers are investing heavily in security measures ranging from fog machines to scanning barriers as confidence in the justice system continues to decline.
Retailers say they’re being pushed to the brink by so-called “kamikaze” thieves, who now steal in plain sight, often without fear of consequences.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) estimates shop theft is costing the industry £2.2 billion a year, with many store owners saying the threat is not just to profits—but to staff safety and mental health.
According to recent Home Office data, analysed by The Independent, only 18 per cent of shoplifting incidents result in a charge or court summons, and in 56 per cent of cases, no suspect is ever identified. Of those convicted, just a quarter are jailed, with average custodial sentences lasting only two months.
Retailers argue that the lack of serious sentencing has emboldened repeat offenders.
One recent example involved a woman in Durham caught stealing over £50 worth of goods, including tubs of Lurpak, but was ordered to repay just 80p in instalments under a conditional discharge.
With trust in enforcement eroding, many shopkeepers have opted for proactive deterrents. One Stop retailer Priyesh Vekaria has a fog machine that instantly fills the shop with dense smoke in the event of a break-in or serious threat—blinding offenders and allowing staff to safely exit.
In Bristol, the Wai Yee Hong Chinese supermarket has installed electronic scanning barriers and gone as far as banning local school pupils during lunch hours, after noticing a spike in thefts of viral TikTok snacks and drinks.
Retailers say they’re increasingly having to make such tough decisions.
Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne acknowledged the frustration in the sector.
“We know that if we take prolific offenders off the street, crime goes down. But the message we are currently sending is, ‘We’re almost letting you get away with it.’ We need a stronger deterrent, or shops will continue to be soft targets,” she said.
Retailers, particularly independents, continue to call for tougher sentencing, more police presence, and retail crime to be treated with the seriousness it deserves.
One retailer summed it up: “It shouldn’t be this way—but if it comes down to fog machines and steel barriers to keep going, so be it. We refuse to be easy pickings.”