The holiday season is time for reflecting on the past year, spending time with family, and…shoplifting?
According to Market Watch, a report by the Global Retail Theft Barometer detailed the rise in concern for shoplifting around the holiday season. In the report, stealing is a concern because of "escalating problems of organized retail crime, easy sale of stolen merchandise through online sites, reduced sales floor coverage, and the general perception of shoplifting as a 'low-risk/non-offensive' crime."
The 10 most stolen items in the United States each year? Wine and spirits, makeup, fashion accessories and facial creams, swimwear and sportswear, sunglasses, mobile accessories, razor blades, lingerie or intimate apparel, DVDs and video games, and power tools.
According to the report, wine and spirits top the list and are the third-most stolen thing globally. Makeup follows wine and spirits because “the products tend to be small and easy to pocket.” Study author Ernie Deyle said that in most cases, “the more hip and on-trend the item, the more likely it will be stolen.”
“Shoplifting is up and a major concern to retailers during the holidays,” Deyle added. “This is, in part, because in the last quarter of the year (October-December) most retailers book 40-plus percent of annual revenue.”
Read more at Market Watch.
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