19th April 2026

Opening Reflection 

This week, I’m angry.

Not mildly frustrated. Not slightly irritated.

Genuinely angry.

Because shoplifting is now completely out of control. It has reached crisis point for anyone in retail.

And the truth is simple:

There are no consequences.

The Reality on the Ground

Let me give you just a snapshot of what we deal with — not once in a while, but regularly.

This week:

• Two teenagers attempted to use fake £20 notes in our shop
• A woman walked in, filled her bag with products, and refused to return them when challenged
• She left the store, was pursued by security, and the items were recovered
• She then came back aggressively towards staff and had to be stopped by members of the public

This is not unusual.

This is normal.

A Daily Battle

I receive reports like this from my managers all the time.

People walking in and helping themselves.
People using counterfeit money.
People showing no fear, no hesitation, no consequence.

They know nothing will happen.

Retail is already tough. Margins are tight. Costs are rising. But when you add daily theft into the mix, it becomes unsustainable.

And it’s not just about the money.

It’s about the environment.

The Impact on Staff and Customers

Staff do not want to work in an environment where they are:

• Facing abuse
• Confronting criminals
• Feeling unsafe

I now have staff refusing to work in our Brixton store because of the level of shoplifting.

Think about that.

A business becomes unviable not because of lack of customers — but because of crime.

And customers notice too.

When shoppers see theft happening, when they see confrontations, it sends one clear message:

This is not a safe place to shop.

That is a death sentence for retail.

Two Types of Shoplifters

In my experience, there are two types of shoplifters.

The first are opportunists.
They see something, they take it. No thought, no shame.

Last week, two men stole artificial plants. Not for resale — just because they could.

The second group are those feeding an addiction.
They steal alcohol, meat — anything they can use or sell quickly.

We’ve already had to remove alcohol from shelves in some cases because theft became too frequent.

No Tools, No Support

As a small business, we are stuck.

We can’t afford security guards — the cost would wipe out our profits.
We can’t claim insurance.
We report crimes and receive a crime number — which does nothing.

Let’s be honest:

The crime number is for the system, not for us.

We are left to deal with it alone.

A Simple Solution — But No Will

Now, I do have a solution.

And if there’s one thing that would tempt me back into politics, it’s this issue.

We need consequences.

Not necessarily prison — we all know prisons are full.

But something visible. Something real.

My proposal is simple:

• If you are caught shoplifting, you are required to wear an ankle tag
• Retail stores install detectors that alert staff when someone with a tag enters

That way, we are not reacting after the crime.

We are preventing it before it happens.

Follow the Supply Chain

We also need to address where stolen goods end up.

A lot of stolen items are resold — often through less scrupulous retailers or informal markets.

So here’s another idea:

Make landlords responsible.

If a tenant is found selling stolen goods, the landlord faces consequences too.

Because until there is accountability across the chain, nothing will change.

Where Is Our Voice?

Here’s the real problem.

Small businesses don’t have a voice.

Farmers have voices.
Big corporations have voices.
Celebrities speak on behalf of industries.

But small independent retailers?

We’re largely ignored.

And yet we are the backbone of the economy.

Until we organise, speak up, and force this issue onto the agenda — nothing will change.

Closing Reflection

I don’t enjoy writing blogs like this.

But this is the reality.

Retail is under attack.
Staff are under pressure.
Customers are being driven away.

And those of us on the front line are expected to just deal with it.

Well, I’m saying it clearly:

This cannot continue.

Because if there was the will, this problem could be fixed.

Onwards.