Counting The Cost

As employee theft remains on the rise in the UK, Dave Lunn from Tellermate looks at the latest trends and considers whether the answer lies in new technology or a different approach by management.

There is little doubt that theft by dishonest employees remains a major headache for retailers as it continues to contribute to a significant proportion of UK shrinkage figures.

According to the latest Global Retail Theft Barometer, employee theft in the UK increased by 7% in 2009 when it accounted for an alarming €2.08bn in lost revenue. We also know that dishonest employees are rarely apprehended by their employers (as few as one in 30), despite stealing on average eight times more than a typical customer caught stealing.