Almost nine in 10 pharmacies have experienced shoplifting in the past year, alongside a troubling increase in aggressive behaviour from the public, according to a new survey. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) poll of 476 pharmacies in England revealed that 88% reported a surge in shoplifting incidents, while 87% noted increased aggressive or intimidating behaviour towards pharmacy teams.
The survey found that 22% of pharmacies witnessed physical assaults on staff, highlighting the escalating severity of the problem. Experts warned that theft of medications like strong painkillers or drugs that slow down the way the body and brain function "could have serious consequences for someone's health".
Police response concerns
Of those pharmacies that reported incidents to police, 73% said they felt the response was insufficient. The NPA, which represents more than 6,000 independent community pharmacies, described the findings as "unacceptable".
NPA chief executive Henry Gregg said: "These are appalling findings and show that pharmacies are seeing a significant increase in shoplifting and other criminal behaviour. It is particularly concerning to hear of reports of physical assaults as well as threats towards pharmacy staff, which is totally unacceptable."
Real-world impact on pharmacy staff
Sanjeev Panesar, a pharmacy owner in Birmingham, reported a "noticeable rise" in petty theft across his sites over the past 12 to 18 months. He described incidents where people fill bags with stock and simply walk out, while his staff "can endure verbal abuse or physical intimidation, neither of which should be part of their role".
Panesar emphasised that pharmacy workers are healthcare professionals serving their communities. "These are healthcare professionals, here to serve their communities and care for patients," he said. "Facing such hostility is not only disheartening but has a lasting effect on job satisfaction, morale, and feelings of safety at work."
The Birmingham pharmacy owner has implemented security measures including bringing in guards and has even chased offenders himself on multiple occasions. "It's incredibly frustrating to see our teams deal with this reality, despite all the preventative measures we've implemented," he said. "Instead of focusing on protecting our premises from theft, we should be spending our time and energy developing innovative services, supporting patient care and improving community health."
Calls for stronger action
Gregg noted that pharmacy teams can be "more exposed to abuse and threats than their primary care colleagues" due to their accessible nature. He argued that while pharmacies are taking protective steps, "the police should do much more to tackle crimes like shoplifting, which is becoming increasingly commonplace".
The NPA chief executive highlighted particular concerns about medication theft, noting: "Theft of medication from a pharmacy, such as strong pain relief or benzodiazepines, could have serious consequences for someone's health." He called for pharmacies to receive "similar support to other NHS colleagues in primary care to protect their staff and their premises".
Government response
A Government spokesperson acknowledged that "the rise in shop theft across the country in recent years is unacceptable". The government is removing the effective immunity for thefts involving goods valued under £200, and more than 500 town centres are receiving additional neighbourhood patrols this summer to strengthen action against shop theft.
The spokesperson confirmed: "We have a zero-tolerance approach to violence or harassment directed at NHS staff and community pharmacists. Which is why we are bringing in laws to protect shop workers from violence and accepted the Social Partnership Forum's recommendations to tackle and reduce violence against NHS staff."
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
