Starmer says ‘tide could be turning’ on shoplifting in England and Wales

Keir Starmer has claimed the “tide could be turning” on shoplifting, pointing to a 17% rise in people charged for what has become a hot political issue.

CCTV footage that could be shared immediately with the police should be used more widely, the prime minister said, adding that “the hope of technology” could make a difference.

Official figures last year revealed annual shoplifting offences in England and Wales had passed half a million for the first time.

“It’s disgraceful that people just working in their shop have to take abuse from customers,” Starmer told a conference of the Usdaw trade union, which represents shopworkers.

The Labour leader, whose government is attempting to introduce a new offence of assaulting a retail worker, added: “It’s disgraceful that people feel sick to the stomach thinking about how they’re going to get through the day and it’s disgraceful that people can have their lives and livelihoods ruined by persistent shop theft.”

Keir Starmer speaks at the Usdaw conference, 27 April 2026. Photograph: Temilade Adelaja/AFP/Getty Images

Starmer highlighted the government’s decision to scrap “the ridiculous regulation” where stolen goods worth less than £200 would not be properly investigated.

“I’m not blind to how big this challenge is, but the numbers of people charged has gone up by 17%,” he said, referring to figures published last week.

“In the latest statsshop theft is down. It’s only slightly down, but the tide could be turning. There’s also the hope of technology because in some parts of the country, police and retailers have been using technology that sends CCTV footage through to the police immediately.”

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show a 1% fall in police-recorded shoplifting in 2025, but recent clarifications to counting rules mean they are not directly comparable to 2024. The Home Office told police forces last year that cases where violence was used or threatened should instead be counted as a robbery of business property. Combined shoplifting and robbery of business offences rose 1% in 2025.

The Conservatives accused Starmer of “a brazen cheek”, claiming he was “part of the problem, not the solution”.

Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said shoplifting was up 8% under the Labour government and had been made worse by a drop in police numbers of 1,300 in the past year.