Shrinkage, which includes crime and non-crime losses as a percentage of sales, was an average of 1.37%, which is an increase on 2010.

Customer theft, at £2.142, billion, rose both as a financial cost and as a percentage of shrinkage and accounted for 43.8% of losses. Organised retail crime, both theft and fraud, was seen as a significant contributor to losses.

To help combat this, spending on loss prevention reached £1.019 billion to June 2011. However, spending on security in the UK was 0.23%, less than that in comparable European countries.

Locally, Brighton's Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP) is working hard to help businesses combat the increase in shoplifting.  BCRP members have access to a radio which links them to other BCRP businesses, prolific offender photographs, Police intelligence and crime prevention training. 

Intelligence gathered by BCRP is currently helping Sussex Police to direct the resources of its newly formed theft team which is focusing on the most proflific offenders in the city centre.

For more information on how the scheme could help your business call BCRP's Crime Manager Lisa Perretta on 01273 733 393.

Click here to access a full summary of the report on the Centre for Retail Research website.