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More Americans admit they’ve stolen from a retail shop in the last year, saying the growing cost of living amid stagnant wage growth is limiting their options.
A Lending Tree survey of 2,000 Americans revealed that about 30% of people have admitted to stealing at least one item in the past year. Matt Schulz, chief consumer finance analyst at Lending Tree, told Straight Arrow that it’s a seven percentage point increase from the 2024 survey.
He noted that shoplifting is a regular occurrence in society and the survey instead reveals a broader issue at play.
The personal finance website didn’t define shoplifting for survey-takers. Instead, Schulz said it was left up to respondents to decide how they define it. People considered shoplifting to be intentionally taking an item without paying, taking advantage of cashiers’ mistakes, concealing goods in another item that will be bought, switching price tags or distracting staff.
“The other thing that I would add is that there are plenty of people in this country who make six figures or more, who live paycheck-to-paycheck and feel broke,” Schulz said.
Shoplifting drives up costs
The online laissez-faire approach to shoplifting affects more than just a retailer’s pocket. Many are forced to increase costs across the board to offset lost revenue due to theft and the higher cost of business insurance.
Price increases are typically seen in lost cargo where a rise in armed hijackings has cost the supply chain $35 billion annually, Bob Costello, chief economist at the American Trucking Association, previously told Straight Arrow. He’s seen a 1,500% increase since the first quarter of 2021.
Stolen items have now averaged more than $200,000 in value. They’re happening as criminal groups develop strategic routes and impersonation tactics to intercept high-value cargo.
“A wide range of products are in the crosshairs of thieves, with top targets ranging from electronics and apparel to food and medicine,” he said.
Retailers concerned about organized crime
Capital One released its latest research on shoplifting trends in June that showed retail theft was down 10% in 2025 in a year-over-year average. Theft has left revenue gaps in retailers, with an estimated $47 billion lost.
Most retailers were concerned with organized retail crime, according to Capital One. The National Retail Federation has called it a growing concern among companies big and small. The practice involves groups of people stealing goods, then reselling them elsewhere for profits.
National crime data from the FBI showed that shoplifting has become a growing problem in the past three years. In January 2017, the bureau recorded 33,841 offenses. That increased to 51,529 in 2020, 77,611 in 2023 and 74,554 this year. Organized retail fraud is commonly prosecuted under a combination of charges such as conspiracy, interstate transportation of stolen goods and shoplifting.
People told Lending Tree that doesn’t appear to be their goal.
“For people who say they’ve shoplifted in the last year, the vast majority say that higher prices and just the overall economic struggle is a big part of it,” Schulz said.
Shoplifting not confined to one tax bracket
Schulz admitted he was surprised when results showed that 40% of people making $100,000 or more admitted to shoplifting in the past year.
Part of that is likely to be attributed to poor money habits stretching people’s paychecks thin, he said. On the other hand, he said that job losses, medical emergencies or any other unexpected events have caused people to develop tight budgets.
When it comes to what people stole, 30% of the time people stole food or nonalcoholic drinks, followed by apparel and personal hygiene.
“I think some of it is that people need those things,” Schulz said. ”And if they feel like they’re willing to take a little bit of a risk in being able to walk out with some of that stuff, it’ll make their paycheck last a little longer.”
Ninety percent of the 221 people who admitted to shoplifting in the past year said inflation influenced their decisions.
Online, people apply morality clauses to shoplifting, often stating “if you see someone stealing food, no you didn’t.” Some of the posts are targeted at well-known corporations, while others highlight law enforcement’s response to retail theft. The other side is stories of officers responding to shoplifting calls, and they buy the person’s items as opposed to arresting them.
If people are considering shoplifting, Lending Tree advised them to rethink their budgets with essentials as a priority and to stop by food banks and use other social services to help offset costs.
“The fact that people are willing to risk the consequences of potentially shoplifting, or potentially getting caught shoplifting, in order to bring home essentials, just speaks even more clearly to just how many people are struggling out there,” Schulz said.
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