Retail

Common Risks Within Retail:

Risk of shoplifting

Physical retail outlets are uniquely at risk of shoplifting. An analysis of 2019’s police data found that 359,156 shoplifting incidents were recorded in the UK – this is nearly 1,000 per day. Although considered ‘petty theft’ shoplifting still costs retailers £335 million a year in losses, yet shoplifters are only caught about once out of every 48 times they steal – just over 2% of the time.

Lone workers

Many small retail outlets are operated by only one member of staff at a time, and often at unsocial hours with low customer footfall. These lone workers are intrinsically vulnerable, whether to becoming the targets of violent crime and anti-social behaviour, or to suffering a medical emergency with no assistance nearby.

Risk of armed robbery

Armed robbery is another crime of which retailers at uniquely at risk. Not only does armed robbery often result in considerable financial losses – either from valuable products stolen from behind counters or large quantities of cash stolen from tills – it almost always results in significant trauma to staff and customers present during the incident, the effects of which are impossible to quantify. The risk of physical injury to staff and customers is also especially high.

Small outlets such as post-offices, convenience stores and petrol forecourts are the most likely to be robbed, but any retailer that:

• Opens at night or at unsociable hours
• Sells potentially addictive substances such as cigarettes and alcohol
• Has few employees on duty at one time
• Is more likely to trade in cash

Can easily become targets as well.