Phase out the word 'shoplifting', Lords committee tells Home Office

The word ‘shoplifting’ is outdated and should be replaced with ‘shop theft’ as part of wider measures to boost the public’s confidence in the criminal justice system, a committee of peers has recommended.

In a letter to the Home Office, the Lords justice and home affairs committee said a record 443,995 incidents of shop theft were recorded by police in the year to March 2024. However, committee chair Lord Foster of Bath said the figures are believed to be a ‘drop in the ocean’ when compared with the likely real figures, estimated at 17 million.

The committee said: ‘Shop theft is seriously underreported and is not being tackled properly. There is a widespread perception that shop theft is not treated seriously by the police which the recent media coverage has served to highlight. The perception of an inadequate response to tackling shop theft risks undermining confidence in the police and wider criminal justice system.’

The committee's recommendations include phasing out the word 'shoplifting'.

‘Clearly, the cumulative effect of what is still regarded as a petty or victimless crime is having a damaging effect on the retail sector and economy more widely. The committee does not believe that the term “shoplifting” should be used and would welcome a review by the relevant bodies and organisations within the criminal justice system to ensure that use of the term is phased out in legislation and guidance. We recommend that “shop theft” is used in all cases by the Home Office and the police.’

The committee also called for a legislative review in favour of a presumption against short custodial sentences for offenders with drug and alcohol issues and greater investment in community-based sentences with mandatory rehabilitation requirements.

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