Alcohol ‘most shoplifted’ item in UK stores

Alcoholic beverages have clinched the top spot of ‘most stolen’ items in the United Kingdom in 2015, according to a study conducted by national security company Monitored Alarms.

Last update: January 21, 2016

Author: PetrolPlaza Correspondent Daniel Infante Tuaño

Retail stores ranging from big supermarket chains to neighbourhood convenience stores listed alcoholic drinks as the most shoplifted, followed by perfume, razor blades, plastic and reusable bags, coffee, meat and cheeses, electrical goods, phones, clothing, and sporting goods, reported thespiritsbusiness.com.

The mentioned items can be easily hidden and not everything can be covered by anti-shoplifting tag, according to Monitored Alarms spokesperson Jonathan Ratcliffe.

“It’s impossible to watch every customer, and experience tells us it’s not always the ‘dodgy-looking’ ones that are the worst offenders,” added Ratcliffe.

Shoplifting costs UK retailers £800m ($1.13bn) per year.

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