Charging in Germany: record numbers and urgent need for action!

Charging in Germany: record numbers and urgent need for action!

The situation in German retail is on the brink due to rapidly increasing numbers of shoplifting. According to Bild were registered in 2023 over 426,000 advertisements due to more than more than 23 percent compared to the previous year. These figures have marked the highest level since 2006. A worrying phenomenon that endangers the stable business models of retailers.

The causes of this increase are diverse. In addition to inflation and falling purchasing power, an increase in professional thieves gangs is also observed. According to a current estimate by the EHI Retail Institute in Cologne, around 24 million shoplifts remain unnoticed every year. This means that an estimated 100,000 thefts take place every day, while only about 0.5 percent are actually reported.

financial consequences and claims

The financial losses from shoplifting are enormous. The damage amounts to around 4.1 billion euros annually. In addition, there are another 2.8 billion euros that are lost due to incoming sales tax revenue, which causes costs of around 34 euros per taxpayer. The Trade Association Germany (HDE) therefore calls for harder punishments for shoplots. For example, in the event of severe thefts, at least one year in prison should be imposed in order to create a clear deterrent for potential perpetrators.

DRB federal manager Sven Rebehn has also requested reinforcement of the public prosecutors and criminal courts by a so-called right of the rule of law. These measures are necessary, since only around 350,000 of the approximately 5.5 million new criminal proceedings per year lead to charges; This corresponds to an indictment rate of only 1 to 15. Many procedures are set due to insignificance, which questions the ability to act.

new security measures and challenges

Retail invested a total of 1.55 billion euros in theft prevention in 2023. The security measures include surveillance cameras, security labels and the increased personnel deployment. Despite these measures, the HDE reports increasing gang crime, which often acts across bodies. The need for closer cooperation between the police and the public prosecutor's office is becoming more and more urgent.

Overall, these developments show that shoplifting is not just a problem of individual business, but is also a serious threat to the entire industry. Merchants and consumers suffer from the consequences of the thefts, and politics is under pressure to find effective solutions. Trust in the rule of law must be restored by consistent law enforcement, the trade association Germany demands.

summarized: Germany urgently needs a comprehensive reform in the field of criminal prosecution of shoplifting to support the retailers and reduce the financial damage to all citizens, according to Deutschlandfunk . It remains to be seen whether politics recognizes the necessary need for action and reacts accordingly.