Firecrest Films is making an hour-long TV documentary about the rise in shoplifting before Christmas.

They are speaking to a range of experts, retailers and police forces, as well as current and reformed shoplifters, about the drivers of retail crime and the efforts being made to combat thieves.

The documentary will examine any changes that retailers have seen around shoplifting practices in recent years. No retailers that take part in this survey will be specifically named.

Your responses will help contribute to a broader understanding of:
  • The true scale of festive season shop theft
  • The rise of organised retail crime
  • Violence, abuse and intimidation directed at retail staff
  • Whether recent legislative changes are making a difference
  • Retailers' confidence in police responses
  • The financial impact crime is having on independent businesses
  • The resale of stolen goods through online and offline channels
These are issues that deserve national attention, and your first-hand experiences can help ensure they receive it.

The survey should take no longer than 5 to 10 minutes and none of the questions are mandatory.

Survey responses are anonymous and confidential, however, you do have an option to provide contact details if you would be willing to discuss your response in further detail. Please note that if you do leave your contact details, they will not be shared until and unless you have provided explicit permission to do so.

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1. What sector/s of retail do you operate in? Please select all that apply.

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2. Where in the UK is your business based? Please select all that apply.

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3. In the four weeks before Christmas, how does the rate of shop theft in your shop compare to an average month?

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4. Which of these seasonal factors contribute to Christmas shop theft in your experience? (Select up to 3)

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5. Do you think theft is being committed by repeat offenders?

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6. In your experience – in the last five years, have you seen any change in the proportion of organised gangs ‘stealing to order’ compared with opportunistic theft?

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7. In the 4 weeks before Christmas last year, list three items that were the most frequently stolen. This does not need to be specific brand names and can be provided as types of items if preferred (e.g – designer perfume, Bluetooth headphones)

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8. What is the approximate value of the items that were stolen from your store during the 4 weeks before Christmas last year? Pick one

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