Record rates of shoplifting reported in Switzerland
By Jan de Boer
The number of shoplifting incidents in Switzerland has reached a record high, data from the police has revealed. Swiss supermarkets have been stepping up security measures to try and combat the surge.
Shoplifting on the rise in Switzerland
According to police statistics given to the NZZ am Sonntag, Switzerland is in the middle of a wave of shoplifting. In 2024, the emergency services reported 26.000 cases of shoplifting, compared to just 15.600 in 2014 - however, the Swiss Retail Federation estimates that many more incidents go unreported.
Speaking to the newspaper, federation director Dagmar Jenni noted that people’s inhibitions when it comes to shoplifting have fallen. "Self-checkouts and a lack of control and monitoring are the cause. But not only that: thefts are also not systematically reported," she explained. Though data on the issue does not exist, based on findings from Germany, the NZZ estimates that shoplifting costs Swiss supermarkets 635 million francs a year.
Self-checkouts and gangs to blame for the surge
Security expert Erich Glarner explained that the spike in shoplifting can mainly be attributed to criminal gangs. A phenomenon seen Europe-wide, many criminals from outside Switzerland come across the border, shoplift smaller, more expensive items, then quickly disappear back across the border and put the product up for sale on the internet in a matter of hours.
However, Glarner noted that there has also been a rise in people, intentionally or not, “forgetting” to scan their items at self-checkouts. The NZZ revealed that in self-checkout locations, 4 percent more merchandise is inadvertently or deliberately shoplifted. Glarner added that many stores are too afraid to impose more stringent security measures or even be open about the problem, for fear of hurting their image and inspiring copycats.
In response, Jenni explained that self-checkouts are here to stay, despite the increased risk. She noted that many stores are now imposing new security measures on customers, and since crisis talks with the police in 2023, have been working with the authorities to try and clamp down on the problem.
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Jan studied History at the University of York and Broadcast Journalism at the University of Sheffield. Though born in York, Jan has lived most of his life in Zurich and has worked as a journalist, writer and editor since 2016.
While he has plunged head-first back into life in Switzerland since returning to the country in 2020, he still enjoys a taste of home at pub quizzes and karaoke nights.Read more