{"id":33370,"date":"2025-02-28T15:46:19","date_gmt":"2025-02-28T15:46:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/?post_type=knowledge&p=33370"},"modified":"2025-05-22T13:03:24","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T13:03:24","slug":"new-laws-to-crack-down-on-shoplifting","status":"publish","type":"knowledge","link":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/retail\/new-laws-to-crack-down-on-shoplifting\/","title":{"rendered":"Shoplifting: new laws propose stricter punishments to protect retailers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Proposed new laws will introduce stricter punishments for shoplifting and provide greater protection for retail employees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Crime and Policing Bill, launched this month, aims to protect the public and town centres from antisocial behaviour, retail crime, and shop theft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Part of the government\u2019s plans to revitalise the UK\u2019s high streets, the bill is estimated to cost almost \u00a350 million a year to enforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read on for more information about how the new laws could work and when they might be introduced. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shoplifting crackdown on the way?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the proposed changes included in the Crime and Policing Bill<\/a> is to repeal section 176 of the Anti-social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014, which downgraded low-value shop theft to a \u2018non-serious\u2019 crime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means that there could be stricter penalties for shoplifting of items worth under \u00a3200.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The proposed new laws come at a time when retailers are feeling the impact of shoplifting more than ever. Official figures show that there were 443,995 shoplifting offences in the year ending March 2024 \u2013 a 30 per cent increase compared to the previous year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, budget retailer Poundland recently launched a range of anti-shoplifting measures<\/a> after it lost more than \u00a340 million of stock last year due to crime.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simply Business research from 2023 found that shoplifting was a problem for half of shop owners. Almost a fifth of (16 per cent) had lost between \u00a31,001-\u00a35,000 due to theft, while over half (57 per cent) had lost over \u00a3250.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more:<\/strong> How to protect your shop from shoplifters<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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More protection for shop workers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The bill also includes proposals to give more protection to retail workers. It\u2019ll become an offence to assault a retail worker. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Official figures show that more than one in 10 shops (12 per cent) in England and Wales experienced assaults or threats against staff or customers between 2023 and 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s proposed that anyone who assaults a shop worker could be imprisoned for six months and handed an unlimited fine. They\u2019ll also be banned from entering the shop where they committed the offence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When could the new laws come into force?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The bill was introduced to Parliament on 25 February 2025 and passed its first reading. It will then need to pass through a second reading, committee stage, report stage, and third reading in the House of Commons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After that, it will need to pass through the same process in the House of Lords, before any final amendments and royal assent, which is when it officially becomes law. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s no provisional date of when the bill could become law. However, it\u2019s likely to get strong cross-party support in the House of Commons so could come into force later in 2025 or early 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Useful articles for retail businesses<\/h3>\n\n\n\n