Retail Theft Isn’t Actually Increasing Much, Major Industry Study Finds

The National Retail Federation's latest survey reveals that despite heightened attention to retail theft, the impact on retailers' profits remains consistent with previous years. Total retail shrink rose to over $112 billion in 2022, up from $93.9 billion in 2021, largely in line with increased retail sales. While concerns about crime's effect on profits are on the rise, both internal and external theft rates in 2022 remained consistent with historical trends, with external theft (including organized retail crime) accounting for 36.15% of total shrink.