retail environment
Irish retailers call for urgent delivery of crime strategy
Retailers in the Republic of Ireland are calling for the 'urgent delivery' of a new Retail Crime Strategy to tackle shoplifting and the abuse of workers.
The Minister of State with responsibility for retail, Alan Dillon, has said the Irish Government is aiming to have the strategy published within the first three months of next year.
Central Statistics Office data shows just under 33,000 recorded 'theft from shop' incidents nationwide, in the year to March, an increase of 3% on the same point last year.
Meanwhile provisional Gardai figures, for the first half of this year, showed shop thefts in the Dublin region were up 7%.
Last year, 8,460 arrests and 20,052 charges or summonses were recorded under Operation Táirge, which was introduced in 2023 as part of efforts to tackle the problem.
Earlier this year, the Gardaí said that more than 8,000 incidents of theft from shop were reported in the first three months of 2025, with nearly 2,000 arrests and more than 4,750 charges or summonses issued.
The Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association has previously estimated that retail crime costs retailers over of €1.62bn each year.
But shoplifting is not the only challenge, with businesses reporting a rise in incidents of retail workers being abused and threatened.
Arnold Dillon, the director of Retail Ireland said the incidences of retail crime have increased by almost 50% over the last 10 years.
"I think what we saw was a really significant increase after COVID, and now it's become a really critical problem for retail businesses right across the country," said Mr Dillon.
"What we want to see is a Retail Crime Strategy delivered by the end of this year that will set out a whole range of different responses to address the problem, ranging from changes in the law to improving Gardai resources, so we can see a more visible presence on the ground, and also improved technology so we can better collaborate with businesses and the gardaí in terms of sharing information."
The Department of Justice said work has already commenced on preparing the Retail Crime Strategy.
In a statement, a spokesperson said suggestions from retailers are being considered in the context of the strategy’s development, with the plan due to be discussed at a meeting of the Retail Forum next month.
The Minister of State for Employment, Small Business and Retail said the Government hopes to publish the new strategy within the first three months of next year.
Alan Dillon said retail crime is a 'serious issue' and he said tackling the problem is "high on the Government's agenda".
"I have worked very extensively with Minister Jim O’Callaghan, the Department of Justice and An Garda Síochána to deliver on our Programme for Government commitment around the dedicated Retail Crime Strategy," he added.
Minister Dillon said the initiative will help to "deliver on actions, and we hope to publish the new Retail Crime Strategy in Q1 2026".
He said the plan is set to include increased Gardai visibility, protection for workers and support for businesses.
"We also want to strengthen our co-operation with An Garda Síochána operations and disrupt organised gangs that are linked to retail crime," added Mr Dillon.
