The Facts and Figures3,285 incidents of retail crime reported across Foodstuffs North Island stores throughout February-April 2023, compared
to 2,377 incidents in the same quarter last year. This is a 38.2% increase and equates to an average of 37 incidents of
retail crime a daySerious incidents such as burglary, assault, robbery, and other aggressive, violent, and threatening behaviour are up
36% for the same quarter, year on yearRepeat offenders are responsible for 36% of all reported retail crime incidentsThe number of reported repeat offenders has increased by 34% from last year2,541 incidents were related to shoplifting – that's a 57% increase year on year for February-April254 incidents involved a trespass order being breached81 incidents of disorderly conduct e.g. verbally or racially abusing team members, being drunk, or behaving
inappropriatelyPremium cuts of meat, high value health and beauty products are the most targeted items for theft
Grocers running the North Island’s New World, PAK’nSAVE and Four Square stores recorded a nearly 40% (38.2%) increase in
retail crime between February and April of this year, with daily incidents of assault, aggression, threatening
behaviour, abuse, and theft.
The 320 grocers are members of the Foodstuffs North Island co-operative.
“Our grocers have never seen retail crime at these levels. It’s an extremely concerning trend and it’s unacceptable,”
says Chris Quin, Chief Executive of Foodstuffs North Island.
“Retail crime is coming through the front doors of grocery stores and impacting our teams every day. Grocers are
focussed on keeping their people safe and that means investing in de-escalation and conflict management training and
helping people to cope in a situation which involves aggression,” says Quin.
The number of shoplifting incidents has increased by 57% compared with the February-to-April quarter last year, and
grocers say shoplifters are becoming increasingly aggressive and violent. Repeat offenders are responsible for 36% of
all retail crime incidents and the number of repeat offenders has increased by 34% from last year.
“I see the reports of what our store owners and their people are dealing with on a daily basis, and it’s distressing
when we have people threatening our team members with weapons and throwing punches. Every New Zealander has the right to
work in a safe and secure environment and not be threatened, assaulted, spat on, yelled at, or racially abused as they
go about their working day.”
Foodstuffs North Island has today released new retail crime figures showing the scale of the issue being faced by
grocery store owners and their teams in New World, PAK’nSAVE and Four Square stores around the North Island. The data
also reveals emerging trends in criminal behaviour.
“Our 320 grocers serve just about every community in the North Island so that combines to provide what we think is one
of the biggest data sets charting retail crime, and the impact it has on our teams and customers. We want to share this
information to help everyone understand the extent of the issue so we can work together to find solutions to continue to
keep our people and customers safe,” says Quin.
“Our local grocers collectively support 24,000 team members and 2.7 million New Zealanders who shop at their stores
every week. It’s important we fully understand the nature of retail crime so we can evolve our security and safety
strategies and ensure we’re doing all we can to keep our people safe while providing New Zealanders with a safe place to
shop.”
In February-to-April 2023, 3,285 incidents of retail crime were reported across New World, PAK’nSAVE and Four Square
stores in the North Island compared to 2,377 incidents in the same period last year - an increase of 38.2%.
Serious incidents such as burglary, assault, robbery, and other aggressive, violent, and threatening behaviour are up
36% on the February-to-April quarter for last year.
“This is very concerning for our co-operative members. They’re responsible for the safety of their teams who’re on the
frontline of retail crime, and for the safety of their customers who’re coming into their stores every day.”
Foodstuffs North Islands’ security and loss prevention teams have identified incidents of co-ordinated crime involving
individuals or groups who are stealing to order and to on-sell. In one case, which is currently before the courts, tens
of thousands of dollars' worth of non-perishable goods were stolen over a period of months and shipped overseas.
“The trend we’re increasingly seeing is professional criminals who’re stealing brand-specific goods to order. That’s not
something we’ve seen before at these levels.”
In another incident, one repeat offender stole 31 whole eye, scotch, and sirloin fillets over a period of weeks, valued
at almost $3,200. Foodstuffs’ security specialists say the behaviour indicates it’s being stolen to order, or to sell.
Shoplifters who’re identified are trespassed where appropriate, but it’s not easy keeping repeat offenders from
returning to the store to reoffend. Foodstuffs North Island recorded 254 cases of customers breaching trespass notices
in the February-April 2023 quarter.
“There are three key drivers of retail crime which our security specialists believe are driving most of these crimes.
They’re saying it’s professional criminals who’re stealing to order or to on-sell, its often people struggling with
addiction and they’re stealing to fund or fuel their addiction, and its groups of youths who’re committing destructive
acts which they film and then post on social media,” says Quin.
“Retail crime went up in every region of the North Island in the February-to-April quarter, except Hawke’s Bay and
Gisborne which were heavily impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle.”
“There’s no postcode for the current wave of crime. It’s in the cities, the regions, and in our small communities too.
It’s right across the North Island.”
“To really address this complex issue, we need strong collaboration between Government, Police, community leaders and
business owners. Our grocers and our co-operative is committed to working together with communities to tackle retail
crime.” says Quin.