Overview

• The total loss due to shoplifting reached €2.95 billion in 2024, up 4.6 percent from 2023 and marking a third straight annual increase.
• Organized theft by professional gangs accounts for roughly one-third of incidents and drives a significant portion of the financial damage.
• Self-service checkouts contributed to rising losses, with nearly half of merchants with kiosks reporting higher shrinkage rates from scanning errors or intentional theft.
• Despite the surge in losses, prosecution rates remain low and 98 percent of shoplifting cases go undetected, fueling frustration among retailers.
• Heightened aggression by offenders has led one in four retailers to increase security spending, with €1.6 billion invested in prevention measures in 2024.