How cost-of-living crisis is forcing UK's youth to shoplift, commit petty thefts

British nationals have endured a persistent cost of living problem over the past two years, making it challenging for households to satisfy their necessities. This has also led to an increase in young adults committing petty thefts like shoplifting. The Metro reports that one in 10 young adults have admitted to stealing items from supermarket stores’ self-checkout lanes in order to make ends meet. Let’s take a closer look. Also read: The global inflation nightmare: It’s 167% in Lebanon, 70% in Sri Lanka Shoplifting increased in the UK One in 25 adults admits to purposefully skipping items at self-checkouts or scanning items they can’t afford correctly. Essentials like the children’s medication Calpol are among the most often stolen goods in the UK, according to The Metro. Security tags are becoming more and more frequent on specific products, such as milk and cheese. Shoplifting increased by 22 per cent in the year to September, according to the most recent Office of National Statistics data for England and Wales, reported The Independent. Figures from the British Retail Consortium, which show 7.9 million cases last year — five million higher than in 2016–17 — indicate the same. According to market research company Kantar, the average family’s annual grocery cost has increased by £837 (~Rs 86,426) over last year, with the most rapid rises in egg, milk, and cheese prices. Shoplifting in the UK is worse than in other nations in Europe, according to Tracey Clements, the head of BP convenience stores, because of the cost of living crisis. She told Retail Week magazine, “In the UK, unfortunately, shoplifting and the rise in crime against retail workers are more prominent than what I see in the other nine countries that I look after." Shoplifting cost the British economy 660 million pounds in 2021–2022 according to a report conducted by the Centre for Retail Research in 2022. Also read: UK: Indian-origin woman take up shoplifting as 'full-time career', makes £500,000 Rising inflation The cost of food and fuel continues to rise since inflation has stubbornly persisted in the double digits for months (the last figure was a distressing 10.4 per cent), according to The Metro. Food inflation is redefining life standards in the UK, with an alarming number of adults deliberately turning to petty larceny and food banks to cut costs. Food and non-alcoholic beverage costs have increased by 19.1 per cent for families labouring under the weight of higher prices; some have doubled in a single year. According to the most recent data from the ONS, the amount of food imported increased by 25 per cent in the previous year. Food, fuel, rent, broadband, taxes, and shortly interest rates (anticipated for the 12th time) have all increased recently, which has been made worse by the poor pace of wage growth and the economy’s overall slowdown. British people are only so good at clipping coupons and looking for cheap yellow stickers, according to ZipZero CEO Mohsin Rashid. He claimed that “the rising cost of food is severely destabilising household finances.” Moreover, numerous strikes across the country have also been sparked by inflation as employees protest their declining wages. The Bank of England and the Conservative administration of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak have advised employers to exercise caution, warning that substantial wage hikes would risk attempts to control inflation and result in more rapid increases in consumer prices, according to Moneycontrol. The Bank of England will soon announce its eleventh consecutive interest rate increase as it attempts to curb excessive inflation amid the crisis. According to the British government’s projection, inflation will abruptly slow down to 2.9 per cent by the end of the year. Also read: UK’s new Brexit plan: Milk, meat, fish, vegetable to have ‘Not for EU’ stickers Poverty issue Food inflation is increasing poverty levels in the nation as one in five adults and young adults seek financial assistance, according to The Metro. There is, however, a generational gap, with 37 per cent of young persons requiring financial assistance as opposed to five per cent of those over the age of 55. British people have shown incredible resiliency and perseverance, with many discovering creative new ways to reduce spending. However, there is less room for manoeuvring now. Eight per cent of the 2,000 persons surveyed by the financial app ZipZero claimed they borrow money from friends or family or use their overdrafts to pay for food. In a survey, five per cent of respondents reported using food banks. The Trussel Trust, which runs food pantries all over the UK, distributed record numbers of food parcels in the previous year. In 2022–2023, the charity network sent over 3,000,000 food packages, a 37 per cent increase from the previous year. One in five people who use food banks are employed, according to the Trussel Trust, demonstrating how seriously the cost of living increase has endangered all Britons. With inputs from agencies Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News ,  India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.