Retail Crime in the UK: SelectaDNA Hosts Parliamentary Roundtable to Advance Retail Crime Solutions?

Friday 01 May 2026 - BSIA Comms

Senior retail security leaders, policing?partners?and MPs met at the Houses of Parliament to address rising UK retail crime - including shoplifting, organised?theft?and violence against retail workers - while exploring solutions to protect staff, stock and store environments.? 

Retail crime?remains?a growing challenge for UK retailers? 

Retailers across the UK continue to face rising levels of?retail crime, including?shoplifting,?organised retail?crime?and?burglary, alongside an increase in?abuse and violence against retail workers. These incidents?impact?staff safety, customer?experience?and business resilience,?driving the need for coordinated action and proven?retail crime solutions.? 

SelectaDNA brings industry and policymakers together at Parliament? 

At the Houses of Parliament, SelectaDNA convened a retail security roundtable chaired by MP Matt Vickers, uniting senior security leaders from leading retailers such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Boots, Co-op and JD Sports with representatives from the Metropolitan Police and the National Business Crime Centre.?The discussion focused on today’s pressures in retail environments, from theft and anti-social behaviour to staff safety and the wider impact on communities.? 

Retail crime solutions: what effective prevention looks like? 

Reducing retail crime requires a layered approach that combines?deterrence,?detection, fast and consistent?incident?reporting?and strong partnership working. The goal is not only to reduce losses and?stock shrinkage, but also to create safer stores by discouraging offending and strengthening the evidence available when incidents occur.? 

  • Visible deterrents:?clear signage, store design?measures?and security presence to help prevent shoplifting and anti-social behaviour.?
  • Forensic?marking &?property?marking?solutions that help?identify?stolen items and link offenders to goods?-?supporting investigations and prosecutions.?
  • Data-led loss prevention:?consistent reporting and analysis to?identify?patterns, hotspot locations and repeat offenders.?
  • Collaboration:?information sharing across retail,?policing?and government to tackle organised retail crime groups.?
  • Staff safety and wellbeing:?procedures,?training?and escalation routes to reduce risk and respond effectively to violence and abuse.?

How forensic marking supports retail security and loss prevention? 

During the session, SelectaDNA?showcased?how its advanced?forensic marking solutions?can help retailers deter theft, reduce stock?shrinkage?and support safer store environments. The discussion also highlighted the role of forensic property marking in strengthening evidence when criminality escalates,?reinforcing?SelectaDNA’s?long-standing commitment to helping businesses prevent and respond to?burglary and robbery.? 

This was reinforced by Clair Frame, Director of UK Sales & Business Development, SelectaDNA, who?added:?“To truly tackle the evolving nature of retail crime, we must first understand the unique hurdles that both retailers and officers face every day. This roundtable was an invaluable forum for sharing those challenges and discussing how we can better align our forensic technology with the practical needs of store teams. By working in partnership to share ideas and evidence led solutions, we are building a more robust and proactive deterrent that directly supports the safety of retail workers and the security of their stock." 

For SelectaDNA, it marked an important milestone in its commitment to helping retailers protect staff,?customers?and stock with practical, evidence-led retail security solutions.? www.selectadna.co.uk

For further information and images contact: Jessica Farrugia, Senior Marketing Manager for Selectamark.

Phone: +44(0)1689 487829
Email:  jessica.farrugia@selectamark.co.uk
Twitter: @selectadna