Business statistics : U.S. Retail Shrinkage Reaches $8.9 Billion

Source: Bamfield, J A N (2012) Shoplifting for Christmas 2012: How Criminals Profit From the Festive Season, Nottingham: Centre for Retail Research)
Whilst honest customers are shopping for gifts for others and food and drink for their family, thieves will steal an average of £40.14 per family (or $63.64 or €49.91) in the 19 countries studied.
Christmas crime losses in the US are expected to be $8,852.0 million (or £5,586.6 mn or €6,994.9 mn) and in Europe as a whole (18 countries) $7,450.4 million (or £4,698.6 mn or €5,845.3 mn).

UK Christmas Crime Losses
For 2012, we estimate that Christmas losses in the UK in the six weeks from mid-November to end-December will be as high as £999.7 million (up 3.4% compared to 2011, an increase of £33 million). The cost per household will be £38.09
UK Christmas Crime 2012
- shoplifting: £522.5 million
- employee theft: £430.6 million
- supply chain fraud: £46.6 million
Total crime: £999.7 million

US Retail Crime Losses in the Holiday Season
The US, as the largest economy, suffers the highest losses in the holiday season. But it also suffers the highest incidence of retail theft. Retail crime at Christmas costs US retailers £5,586.6 mn ($8,852.0 mn), a rise of 4.4% compared to last year's £5,348.2 ($8,480.2) million. The cost per family in the US will be £48.77 ($98.49)
U.S. Holiday Crime 2012 (in US$)
- shoplifting: $3,757.5 million
- employee theft: $4,652.5 million
- supply chain fraud: $442.0 million
Total crime: $8,852.0 million

Ireland Christmas Crime Losses
Although Ireland is one of the smaller economies it suffers the most in Europe from Christmas crime, with crime losses per household of £43.26 (€53.82). Total losses are likely to be £67.2 mn (€83.6million).
This is made up of (euros): shoplifting €42.7 mn: employee theft €33.2 mn: and vendor fraud €7.7 mn.
Total crime losses in Ireland are forecast to rise by 4.7% compared to last year's €79.8 million

Detailed Tables of the Costs of Retail Crime in Sterling and Euros. Please contact us if you need the US dollar tables
Costs of Christmas Crime 2012 (£millions)



International Costs of Retail Crime
(from Shoplifting for Christmas 2012: How Criminals Profit From the Festive Season)>/p>


What gets Stolen?
Retailers spend a great deal protecting their Christmas stock, customers and employees from criminals.
The most stolen product lines included alcohol, women's clothing and fashion accessories, toys, perfume and health and beauty gift packs, electronic devices including smartphones, tablet computers and toiletries for men, DVD gift sets and games consoles, food and Christmas decorations, electrical goods including hardware/DIY, watches and jewellery, and chocolates and confectionery.


By Professor Joshua Bamfield, Director, Centre for Retail Research Nottingham
Every year the Centre for Retail Research provides a Christmas estimate of retail's likely losses from retail crime in the Christmas season. This year our independent study has been funded by Checkpoint Systems, the global leader in shrink management, merchandise visibility and apparel labelling solutions. Nineteen countries have been studied - from the U.S. to Ireland and the Czech Republic. We define Christmas as the six week period from mid-November to the end of December.