New Shoplifting Penalties A Step In The Right Direction

New penalties for shoplifting announced today are a positive step in the fight against retail crime, Retail NZ says.

Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has announced increased penalties for theft, including a new infringement regime for low value shoplifting, tougher consequences for threatening or intimidating behaviour associated with shoplifting, and longer maximum prison sentences.

“It’s great to see new measures being introduced that will broaden opportunities for shoplifting to have significant repercussions,” Retail NZ Chief Executive Carolyn Young says.

Ms Young is a member of the Ministerial Advisory Group on retail crime which is developing proposals to tackle retail crime.

“Retailers are crying out for proactive solutions that prevent crime and enhance the safety of their staff and customers. Our members continue to face high rates of violence and crime, putting both their employees and the public at risk, as well as threatening the financial sustainability of retail businesses.”

Retail crime is a significant issue in New Zealand, impacting more than 99% of retailers and costing well over $2.6 billion a year.

Retail NZ’s COMS Retail Crime Report 2024 found that 73% of retailers experienced shoplifting during the year and 58% experienced threatening behaviour.

“Shoplifting is at epidemic levels and recidivist offenders are a big issue,” Ms Young says.

“People shoplift for all sorts of different reasons. Although the cost of living crisis is often being blamed for the increase in retail crime, retailers confirm that the majority of offenders shoplift goods that are clearly unrelated to their daily basic needs. Sometimes they are shoplifting to order, sometimes to support their addictions or to gain notoriety on social media.”

The increased penalties announced today will be welcomed by retailers as a good addition to other crime prevention tools like facial recognition technology, security guards, fog cannons, staff training and body cameras.

Retail NZ has formed a working group comprising a number of New Zealand’s largest retailers which is developing agreed approaches to crime prevention measures.

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