Shoplifting costs UK £4.4-bn annually: Study

According to a report, shoplifters in the UK cost the high street  £4.4 billion annually. However the tab gets passed on to the average shopper who shells out an additional £180 in his shopping bill to make up the losses to the stores.

The study conducted by the Centre for Retail Research has exposed UK shop workers as the most dishonest in Europe, stealing £1.5 million worth of goods.

The study has revealed that 37 per cent of store crime in Britain last year was an inside job as against 30 per cent in the continent.

The report has slammed pilfering staff as the ''silent thieves from within'' warning bosses that turning a blind eye could have grave consequences for consumers.

Meanwhile, trade body British Retail Consortium yesterday called for tougher sentences for shoplifters.

According to a spokesperson the perception that stealing from a shop was a victimless crime was nonsense as hardworking shoppers pay for it as costs are passed from the store to the consumer.