Iceland will pay customers £1 for reporting shoplifters to staff, executive chairman Richard Walker announced. The reward will be added to customers' Bonus Cards as part of the supermarket's loyalty scheme.
Walker told Channel 5 News: "I'd actually like to announce that we will give a pound to any customer who points out a shoplifter. We will put it on their Bonus Card if they see any customer in our stores who are undertaking that offence."
The unprecedented move aims to tackle staggering annual losses of £20 million caused by theft. Walker emphasised this represents money that could otherwise reduce prices or increase staff hours, rather than lost profit.
Industry First
Iceland becomes the first British supermarket to offer financial incentives for customers to report criminals. The scheme marks a groundbreaking shift in how retailers tackle rising crime rates.
Walker believes the initiative will deter thieves "because some people see it as a victimless crime. It is not". He added the scheme addresses intimidation and violence whilst helping keep prices from rising further.
Thames Valley Police Commissioner Matthew Barber has previously encouraged public intervention in tackling shoplifting, according to the Daily Mail. A recent incident at Iceland's Walworth store saw a security guard use a shopping basket as a shield against a suspected thief, the Daily Mail reports.
Rising Crime Concerns
National shoplifting crimes reached 516,971 last year, representing a 20% increase from 2023 according to Office for National Statistics data. The surge puts additional pressure on retailers already facing economic challenges.
The announcement comes days after Iceland revealed food price increases due to National Insurance and minimum wage rises from the autumn Budget. The supermarket blamed Rachel Reeves for cost pressures it must "inevitably pass on to consumers".
Sources used: "Express", "Daily Mail" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
