Shoplifting in Belgium reaches highest level in a decade

The number of shoplifting cases in Belgium rose last year to its highest level in a decade, according to Buurtsuper.be. The organisation of independent supermarket operators is calling on federal government negotiators to make the fight against shoplifting a priority.

Police recorded 24,021 shoplifting incidents in Belgium last year, Buurtsuper.be reported on Monday, based on the 2023 crime statistics. This is a slight increase (+3.24 per cent) on the previous year and the highest level in a decade.

"Knowing that only 11 per cent of thefts are actually reported by traders, the real number of thefts is many times higher than the number of reports," said Luc Ardies, director of Buurtsuper.be. In a survey by the self-employed organisation, nine out of ten shopkeepers say they are confronted with a theft every week.

"Despondency is particularly high in this sector," says Ardies, with a "huge" impact on affected traders. "Research shows that up to 1 per cent of turnover is lost to shoplifting," the director says. As a result, up to half of net profits can be lost.

^{© BELGA PHOTO JONAS ROOSENS}