Primark: We lose more to shoplifters than we pay in business rates
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Shoplifting is now costing Primark more than property taxes following a surge in retail crime.
The company said the amount it was losing as a result of theft was now larger than its ￡70m business rates bill.
George Weston, the chief executive of Primark owner Associated British Foods (ABF), said: “The level of shoplifting that we are seeing in our society today continues at unacceptable levels.
“We do need action from the state to put this right.”
Primark laid out the cost of thefts from its high street stores as it races to curb shoplifting. New measures include installing more CCTV and giving workers body cameras.
It has also started sealing carrier bags with blue “sold” stickers to try to deter people from entering stores with Primark paper carrier bags, filling them with clothes and leaving without paying.
On some high streets, Primark is working with other retailers so that they can alert each other when criminals are in the area.
Shops across the country have been struggling to tackle a surge in shoplifting in recent years. Offences rose to 443,995 in the year to March 2024, official figures show, up more than 100,000 on the previous 12 months.
Bosses have said the surge has been driven by organised gangs stealing to order rather than desperation, as had traditionally been the motivation.
Retail chiefs have complained that police are failing to investigate and charge shoplifters, with many cases of theft of goods under ￡200 often overlooked.
Mr Weston has previously called for magistrates and judges to take a tougher line with shoplifters to deter thieves.
He said last year: “There have been too many examples of theft not being taken as seriously as I think they should be. Those who are responsible for law and order need to help us get on top of this.”
The Government is planning a crackdown on shoplifting by introducing new laws requiring police to investigate even when the goods stolen are worth less than ￡200.
Other retailers have also warned of the soaring cost of shoplifting to their businesses. Iceland last month told The Telegraph it was losing up to ￡50m every year as a result of theft.
Co-op this week said criminals were entering its stores with wheelie bins that they could load up with booze and meat to sell on. Primark told the Sun there had also been a rise in “casual theft”.
The Centre for Retail Research estimates that shoplifting adds around ￡130 onto the cost of an average household’s shopping bill each year.