Shoring up security measures is paying off for retailers.
The latest “Impact of Theft & Violence 2026” report showed that retailers had a 12.4 percent decrease in shoplifting incidents as well as an 8.1 percent decline in retail merchandise theft in 2025 as compared with 2024. But there is some bad news.
The report, released by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and the Loss Prevention Research Council and sponsored by Sensormatic Solutions, revealed that other methods of external theft, fraud and scams had increased in 2025 versus 2024.
The NRF used the release of the findings to encourage policymakers to help fight retail crime. “Following passage in the U.S. House of Representatives, NRF urges the U.S. Senate to pass the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, which would strengthen federal coordination and equip state and local law enforcement to better identify and investigate cross-jurisdictional and transnational retail crime groups,” the NRF said in a statement.
Regarding the findings in the report, the NRF said the data spotlights the “evolving nature” of organized retail criminals who are exploiting both the physical and digital retail environments.
David Johnston, NRF vice president for asset protection and retail operations, said after years of rising in-store theft, “retailers are beginning to see levels stabilize, driven by investments in technology and employee training to strengthen store security and improve response to these crimes.”
“However, significant challenges remain as organized criminals continue to exploit vulnerabilities throughout the retail environment as seen in the rise of various fraud schemes and thefts, including cargo theft, phone scams and gift card fraud,” Johnston added.
The NRF said the drop in shoplifting and merchandise theft incidents are due in part to retailers’ ongoing efforts to evaluate, implement and refine security measures that are designed to deter theft while reducing losses. “Strategies like enhanced interior and exterior security systems, as well as store- and employee-specific safety protocols, have contributed to these improvements,” the NRF said in the report, adding that retailers have also strengthened their ability “to analyze loss patterns and assess the effectiveness of various security measures in addressing different types of theft.”
Some of the key data points from the survey include that 50 percent of retailers said they are seeing higher rates of repeat offenders. Thirty-seven percent of those polled are seeing more walkout or pushout theft. Respondents said fraud is also rising, with phone scams (69 percent), loyalty fraud (51 percent) and gift card theft or fraud (42 percent) increasing.
“Trusted research is essential to understanding these threats and how they continue to evolve,” said Read Hayes, Ph.D., University of Florida research scientist and Loss Prevention Research Council executive director. “As these risks shift and shoplifting rates stabilize, the retail industry must confront the growing challenges of fraud and external theft.”
The survey also showed that violence remains a significant concern for retailers, “[who] continue to report increases in homelessness-related disruptions and guest-related incidents.” In response, retailers said they are strengthening proactive workplace violence prevention efforts. This includes investing in management training (72 percent), employee training (65 percent) and risk-intelligence technologies (61 percent), among other measures.
Tony D’Onofrio, president of Sensormatic Solutions, said retailers and brands are leveraging data and connected technologies to fight retail crime. “This year’s report underscores that no single company can address this challenge alone,” D’Onofrio said. “Meaningful progress requires strong collaboration among retailers, communities and law enforcement agencies to enhance asset protection and keep employees and customers safe.”
