Retail theft in Germany reached an all-time high in 2024, with losses totalling nearly €3 billion, according to a new report by the EHI Retail Institute. The alarming figure, driven in part by organised crime and worsening economic conditions, also highlights a significant hit to the federal treasury in lost tax revenue.
Based on a survey of 98 companies operating over 17,000 stores across the country, German retailers recorded €4.95 billion in missing inventory last year. Of that amount, €4.2 billion is attributed to theft — a 3% rise compared to 2023 — while the remainder is due to internal accounting errors and operational mistakes.
Shoplifting alone cost the retail sector an estimated €2.95 billion in 2024, up from €2.82 billion the previous year. Notably, theft by employees contributed to losses of €890 million, and suppliers or service providers were responsible for another €370 million.
Though official police statistics showed a 5% decline in reported shoplifting cases, the EHI report estimates that 98% of thefts go undetected, with most discovered only during inventory checks.
Organised retail crime has emerged as a growing threat. According to the study, theft linked to criminal gangs accounted for nearly one-third of all customer-related thefts — amounting to close to €1 billion. “Retailers are increasingly facing professional and aggressive theft rings. In many cases, store staff and security are simply outmatched,” the report said.
Rising poverty and inflation are also believed to be contributing factors. Germany’s economic slowdown, fuelled by high energy costs, declining industrial productivity, and global trade disruptions, has put pressure on households. Unemployment hit 6.2% in 2024, the highest since late 2020, and nearly 20% of the population is at risk of poverty or social exclusion.
Food retailers suffered the most, with losses of almost €2 billion, particularly in smaller supermarkets. Drugstores and hardware stores also reported higher-than-usual theft-related losses.
The financial impact extends beyond businesses. The government is estimated to have lost around €570 million in sales tax due to stolen goods, assuming that the majority of stolen items are taxable at standard VAT rates.
In response, retailers spent approximately €3.1 billion last year on security measures, including surveillance, employee training, anti-theft technology, and in-store detectives. Combined with direct theft losses, the total economic impact reached €7.3 billion — about 1.5% of the average purchase price passed on to consumers.
As retailers call for greater action against organised theft and increased support from law enforcement, the report warns that without targeted interventions, retail crime will continue to escalate in both scale and sophistication.
