Following the sharp rise in retail crime levels across Ireland, according to the latest CSO figures, the situation is now having a major impact on the retail owners and workers when faced with criminals who are often aggressive, sexist, racist and who use weapons and threatening behaviour.
Theft and related offences have risen by 12% since last year, with nearly half (46%) of the national increase due to a growing number of thefts from shops, according to statistics recently released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
Retail Excellence Ireland (REI) has said that urgent action is needed to deal with an increase in retail crime. However, Ireland’s largest representative body for the retail industry noted that while this is a significant issue, the statistics fail to account for anti-social behaviour faced by retail staff. REI Chief Executive Jean McCabe has said that the CSO statistics back up what her organisation is hearing from members on a daily basis; “the retail industry is increasingly being targeted by criminals across the country,” she said, adding that “these actions by a small minority have a highly negative effect on retailers and their customers, and something needs to be done to reverse what is a very worrying trend”.
McCabe also highlighted the impact of anti-social behaviour on retailers. “These figures from the CSO don’t take into account the daily instances of anti-social behaviour that retailers are experiencing. These have a knock-on effect on staff and customers and will lead to less footfall at a time when retailers are struggling hugely with the myriad of costs of doing business. We would hope and expect that our incoming Taoiseach will follow through on making law and order in Ireland one of his top priorities.”
In the capital alone, this growing problem of retail crime coupled with the vicious level of assaults against retail workers was brought into sharp focus late last year. During the riots in Dublin on 23 November 2023, shop owners and employees found themselves trapped within their premises for fear of attack by those intent on robbing and causing damage. In the aftermath of the riots, the Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment, chaired by Maurice Quinlivan TD, who himself worked in retail for 19 years, met on 13 December 2023 to debate the issue of shoplifting and the rising levels of assaults against retail workers.
A recent survey on retail crime undertaken by the Retail, Grocery, Dairy and Allied Trades Association (RGDATA) has found that 93 per cent of its members have been victims of shoplifting and 40 per cent have been victims of fraudulent activity. “Retail theft is most certainly not a victimless crime. Shop owners, staff and customers are the victims. Staff and owners in shops must deal with criminals who are often aggressive, sexist, racist and who use weapons and threatening behaviour. The average cost to the 3,500 shops, forecourt stores and supermarkets that RGDATA represents throughout Ireland is over €40,000 per store,” notes Tara Buckely, RGDATA Director General.
