New data from the Office for National Statistics shows shoplifting offences fell 4% to 507,086 in the year to March 2026, down from 530,324 the previous year. Robbery of personal property also declined by 9% to 57,693 offences, although overall robbery increased by 10% following changes to the way some police forces record business property offences.

Andrew Goodacre, chief executive of Bira, said the figures were encouraging but should be treated with caution.

“We welcome the reported reduction in retail crime, and we are pleased that more people are being charged,” he said. “We remain concerned that the level of retail crime remains extraordinarily high and now is not the time to relax and lose momentum. We are also concerned that the ONS statistics may not reflect the true level of crime.”

Bira’s latest retail crime survey, published in June, found that almost 77% of independent retailers experienced theft during the previous 12 months, compared with 64% in its previous survey. Nearly 90% of respondents said theft had worsened, while more than three quarters reported that offenders were becoming increasingly brazen.

The survey also highlighted significant under-reporting, with more than 45% of retailers saying they did not report thefts to the police. Among those that did, officers attended around two-thirds of incidents, but only 35% resulted in a prosecution.

Mr Goodacre said many retailers remain reluctant to report offences because of a historic lack of police support, adding that continued action was needed to protect independent retailers, their employees and high streets from persistent retail crime.

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