Global-shrink stats 2009: UK rate = leaving shops unstaffed 5 days per year with doors open for shoppers to help themselves….key-chart on Kamblog

Pic: The Economist

The 2009 latest edition of the Global Barometer covers 41 countries including the UK, U.S., China, Australia, France, Germany, Brazil, South Africa, Turkey, and India. The UK Centre for Retail Research collected data from 1,0689 of the largest retail corporations with combined sales of $822 billion.

• Total global shrinkage (stock loss from crime or waste expressed as a percentage of retail sales) cost retailers in the 41 countries US$ 114,823 million, equivalent to 1.43% of their retail sales.
• Shrinkage costs rose by 5.9% (from 1.35% to 1.43%)
• Shoplifting was seen as the major problem that retailers faced, accounting for 42.5% of shrinkage or $48.9 billion.
• The most-stolen items of retail merchandise within the 41 countries included branded and expensive products: cosmetics and skincare, alcohol, womenswear/ladies' apparel, perfume and fine fragrances, and designerwear. Other highly stolen lines included razor blades, DVDs/CDs, video games and video consoles, small electric items, and fashion accessories.

Think of the impact on retailers' (and suppliers'!) bottom-lines if shrinkage were reduced by 50%

More details + charts on Centre for Retail Research site