Sarah* has stolen about $300 worth of groceries over the years, mainly food but sometimes cosmetic items like nail polish.
“If I don’t have enough [money] or miscalculated, I’ll not scan a few of the cheapest items,” she told The Feed.
Like countless other Australians, Sarah’s been hit hard by the cost of living and housing crisis.
She's struggling to find a place to live after having multiple rental applications knocked back, and is now considering stealing pet food so she can afford to feed her cat.
She has one rule: avoid taking from small businesses, who are “doing it tough”. But big retailers such as Coles, Woolworths and Kmart are fair game in her eyes.
“They will still be swimming in profits whether I steal a can of $2 cat food or not.”
Shoplifting increasing at record rates
Thefts from retail stores have dramatically ramped up across Australia in the past few years.
Professor Michael Townsley, who researches retail crime at Queensland's Griffith University, said there was a drop in shoplifting during the COVID-19 pandemic – but the numbers have since made a comeback.
“Queensland [and] South Australia are well above the pre-pandemic levels of customer theft, it's quite surprising,” he said.
His figures, taken from state police records, show shoplifting incidents more than doubled in South Australia between 2019 and 2023. Western Australia recorded a 42 per cent increase, while in Queensland there was a 25 per cent spike.
Source: SBS
“The actual number could be even higher; however, it is difficult to put an exact figure on retail theft because much of it goes unreported,” he said.
In August, Coles reported stock loss (which includes theft and food wastage) was up 20 per cent compared to last year. Woolworths chief executive Brad Banducci estimated theft made up a quarter of total stock loss.
Why is shoplifting on the rise?
Gordon* once walked out of Coles without paying for a trolley full of groceries worth $170. He decided to shoplift out of frustration, after having issues with the self-checkout and receiving no help.
“I've always been a fairly level-headed citizen with no history of theft/crime until these systems were produced,” Gordon said.
“I miss the traditional checkout format, items were scanned and issues remedied on the spot.”
Self-service checkouts are becoming an increasingly common sight at big retailers – and they’re making it far easier for people to steal.
However, Townsley said cost of living pressures are likely the main driver of record shoplifting numbers as people find it harder to afford essentials.
We’re paying 7.5 per cent more for our food compared to last year, according to the latest inflation report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The biggest spike is in the dairy aisle, where prices are 15 per cent higher, while bread and cereals are up 11 per cent and meat and seafood are up 3.5 per cent.
There’s now a black market for stolen food, which some shoplifters are taking advantage of.
"The expensive meat that's being stolen in supermarkets, there are stories about that just going to a local cafe or restaurant and that they're willing to purchase that now because they're finding it hard to make their rent," Townsley explained.
"That's a bit of a driver for organised retail crime, because organised crime is literally people seeing a market and then providing for that market."
Online marketplaces like eBay, Facebook Marketplace and Amazon also make it simple for thieves to offload stolen goods.
Some supermarket workers are turning a blind eye - or even contributing
Taylor* is a deli worker at Woolworths who is sympathetic to shoplifters.
“I’ve seen people put things in backpacks and just walk off and I haven't said anything,” they said.
“I like to do a blanket assumption that if someone's stealing something, they probably need it.”
While some employees are diligent about preventing theft, Taylor said others turn a blind eye – or even participate in shoplifting themselves.
“If you don't want people to steal, get rid of the self-checkout entirely and pay people to work registers,” they said.
“It's not like I get paid extra if I stop shoplifting.”
They said Woolworths staff are trained not to confront shoplifters in case they get aggressive – instead, workers are told to alert a supervisor.
Taylor also admitted to secretly marking down the price of deli meats and seafood for friends and customers, after witnessing the price of salmon rise by $10 a kilogram in the last three months.
“If I have the power to do it and it’s not that risky for me, then I'll happily do what I can to help out,” they said.
How socially acceptable is shoplifting in Australia?
More than a quarter of Australian shoppers believe some forms of retail theft are “a little” to “completely” justifiable, according to a survey of over 1,000 shoppers by Monash University.
Over a third of those surveyed said “scanning items as cheaper items when using a self-checkout terminal” and “not scanning some items when using a self-checkout terminal” were a little to completely justifiable.
“Taking an item without paying” was seen as justifiable to more than a quarter of shoppers.
Source: SBS
“While I never condone shoplifting, I believe that if all other attempts to get food have failed and you really have no choice, then I do not blame people who do this,” she said.
“There were times when I had gone some days without food just so my family can eat...I believe it is only OK to do in these circumstances.”
Zahra said it’s confronting to know that some shoplifters are stealing through desperation – but it shouldn’t be the answer.
The price of meat and seafood has gone up 3.5 per cent compared to last year. Source: AAP / Glenn Campbell
Several shoplifters told The Feed they’re now more motivated to steal, after Woolworths and Coles announced billion-dollar profits during the cost of living crisis.
“Woolies and Coles are amoral corporations which are perfectly happy shafting suppliers, paying derisory prices for produce, while profiteering on an absolutely stratospheric scale from the current situation,” one said.
Townsley said this kind of rationale is known as neutralisation: minimising the impact of our bad actions to make us feel better about ourselves.
“We are all very creative at coming up with reasons why we are really good people, and we were tempted into doing that bad thing,” he said.
How does stealing impact supermarket prices and profits?
Australia’s two biggest supermarkets, Coles and Woolworths, each reported big financial year profits in August - Coles' profit was $1.1 billion and Woolworths' $1.6 billion.
Townsley said the two supermarket giants alone make up over 20 per cent of Australia’s retail industry – but food retailing is the most competitive part of the sector.
Zahra said losses from retail crime are ultimately passed on to consumers: “We all end up paying for it”.
“Whilst profits can sound like big numbers to some - supermarkets typically operate on profit margins as slim as 3 cents in the dollar,” he said.
“For retailers, a 2-3 per cent loss of merchandise can amount to 25 per cent loss in profit. This is debilitating for small businesses, who operate on tighter profit margins.”
What anti-shoplifting measures are supermarkets taking?
Supermarkets are rolling out increasingly sophisticated technology to combat theft.
A Coles spokesperson said stores are equipped with CCTV, trolley lock technology to prevent people leaving without paying and smart gates that only open once customers have paid for their shopping.
Controversially, the supermarket is also trialling body-worn cameras for staff at high-risk stores to reduce theft and abuse of workers.
“If a team member feels unsafe in a situation, they can turn on their body camera and will inform the customer that they are turning it on for safety,” a Coles spokesperson said.
“This trial has been well received by team members, who feel that the technology would benefit them if faced with a threatening situation.”
Woolworths says its customers are being recorded in over 500 stores using "assisted scan" technology.
“It's a computer vision with very strict privacy restrictions around it,” Banducci said.
“They just make sure the customer actually scans all the products before they leave. If they don't, it stops and we help them make sure that they scan all the products.”
Customers like this woman on TikTok have also observed cameras placed on shelves in some Woolworths locations. The supermarket says they're being used to monitor stock levels.
What are the penalties for shoplifting?
Shoplifting falls under the offence of larceny – the penalties for which vary by state. It also depends on the value of the stolen goods.
For example, in the NSW Local Court, if the value of the stolen property does not exceed $5,000, the maximum penalty is a fine of $5,500 and/or two years in prison. If the property is valued over $5,000, the penalty jumps to a fine of $11,000 and/or two years’ imprisonment.
In sentencing, judges will consider people’s personal circumstances and criminal history.
If violence or the threat of violence is used, people can be charged with robbery, which is a much more serious crime.
Supermarkets can also ban shoplifters from their stores.
Sarah isn't fazed by any of these measures. "There’s cameras with footage directly of your face now but it doesn’t deter me."
*Names have been changed.
