Retail crime is a huge issue for the retail sector.
Retail crime is a huge issue for the retail sector – putting employees and customers at risk, and costing the nation an estimated $1 billion a year in losses. Ultimately, these costs are borne by consumers, so it’s in everyone’s interests to be working together to get crime under control.
We are particularly concerned that criminals are becoming increasingly organised, brazen and violent. We don’t want to see retail employees or customers put at risk by criminal behaviour.
Our goal is to reduce retail crime, by working in partnership with our members, the New Zealand Police, and other organisations with an interest in crime prevention; and for there to be real consequences for those involved in retail crime.
In general, our advice for retailers is to:

Review your security
Have you got cameras, physical barriers and clear lines of sight to the street?

Train your team
Train your team. Make sure everyone knows what to do in the event of a robbery.

Communicate
Communicate with other retailers and the Police. Know what’s going on around you.
Retail NZ has a range of resources available
Take a look at our advice, guides, webinars, e-learning and supplier recommendations to support retailers dealing with retail crime:
Resources by Retail NZ
Resources in conjunction
Webinars
Store signage:
We have created a range of security signage you can print out and put up in your store. They are FREE for Retail NZ members – make sure you are logged in to access this free poster. Let us know if you need help logging in.
See more advice and other information here:
- Read our 2017 Retail Crime report
- Read our 2016 Policy Paper
- Security and loss prevention tips
- Can I name and shame people who steal stuff from my shop?
- Shoplifting and crime – how you can help.
If you have any questions about managing retail crime, please get in touch with our Advice Service at [email protected] or phone 0800 472 472 (1800 128 086 from Australia).