Iceland is offering customers a £1 reward on their loyalty card for reporting suspected shoplifters. The frozen food chain said employees would verify each incident before crediting the Bonus Card for immediate use.
Richard Walker, executive chair of the family-owned group, said thefts cost the retailer £20m and drained resources that could be spent on staff hours or lower prices. He described shoplifting as a growing problem across the UK, not only in big cities but also in market towns and villages.
Official figures show shoplifting offences in England and Wales reached a record high, exceeding 500,000 in 2024. Retailers argue the statistics underestimate the scale of the problem, with the British Retail Consortium pointing to organised gangs stealing to order.
The scheme comes amid a debate over how to respond. Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson cautioned against confronting shoplifters, while Thames Valley police and crime commissioner Matthew Barber said people had a duty to stand up to them. Retailers have also faced criticism for reducing staff numbers and expanding self-checkout, though they have invested in security measures such as facial recognition and AI-aided cameras.
The government is introducing legislation to tackle shoplifting, including removing the £200 threshold for low-level theft and creating a stand-alone offence of assaulting a retail worker.
