Primark boss George Weston revealed the shoplifting epidemic is costing the fashion retailer more in losses than it pays in business rates.
The chief executive of owner Associated British Foods told The Sun that theft in the retailer’s stores had become “socially acceptable”, adding that the perpetrators were “facing no consequences”.
“The cost of shoplifting is now bigger than our bill for rates,” he said.
Primark has around 191 stores across the UK and pays around £70m a year in business rates.
Yesterday (5 September), the retailer said its UK sales are set to fall in its second half as poor weather led to lower footfall in its stores.
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Weston said the recent surge in shoplifting was being driven by “organised criminals [who] steal on demand and sell the goods on”.
He added there had also been a “general increase in casual theft”.
Weston welcomed Home Secretary Yvette Cooper’s plans to clamp down on shoplifting and scrap the £200 rule, which allows thieves to be charged with a summary-only offence if they steal goods worth less than £199.
He argued that “the state needs to step in”, adding “we can put cameras in and tighten our security but at the end it is a societal issue, so the solution has to be one of policy”.
His comments follow that of Co-op’s group public affairs and board secretariat director Paul Gerrard who revealed earlier this week that the retailer’s stores were experiencing its “highest-ever levels” of crime and abuse.
“What is driving a 44% increase [of crime instores] is people who are stealing to order huge volumes, people coming into our stores with wheelie bins, people coming into our store with builders bags to steal the entire confectionery section, the entire spirit section, the entire meat section,” he said.
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