— Oct 22, 2024
Call to tackle food waste
Over thirty supermarkets and food producers have called on the government to introduce compulsory reporting of food waste.
Industry Focus
— Sep 30, 2024
Could we face empty plates for Christmas?
A leading trade group has raised concerns that a new fingerprint scheme to tighten EU border checks could disrupt fresh food deliveries ahead of Christmas.
— Sep 25, 2024
Re-Inventing the Retailer and Vendor Agenda
ORIS Forums Unveils New Collaborative Vendor and Retailer Risk Forum
— Aug 27, 2024
New consumer coalition to fight fraud
Consumer watchdog Which? is leading a coalition representing some of the UK’s largest banks and telecoms providers as part of a “landmark commitment” to sharing data to combat fraud.
— Aug 27, 2024
Carrefour uses AI to tackle food waste
Carrefour Belgium has partnered with Swedish food waste company Deligate to launch an AI tool designed to manage best before dates.
— Jun 26, 2024
“Copse” and Robbers—When Can We See the Wood for the Trees?
From Zero to Anti-Hero—the Amplification of Retail Crime in the Age of Social Media
— Jun 25, 2024
Why retailers are connecting personal protection into their security programme
Richard Moreton of leading retail security specialist, TSS, outlines the advantages of new, sophisticated body-worn devices and how to maximise their effectiveness through full integration into an effective security operation.
— Jun 25, 2024
Almost a third of UK shoppers have witnessed a shoplifting incident in the past 12 months
Almost a third of UK shoppers have witnessed a shoplifting incident in the past 12 months, according to new research. A study of 1,000 UK shoppers carried out by software developer Retail Insight found that 30 per cent had witnessed an instance of shoplifting during the past year, rising to 44 per cent of consumers in London.
— Jun 25, 2024
Which? demand for new fraud minister
Consumer watchdog Which? has called on whoever the next prime minister is on July 4th to appoint a dedicated minister to address the issue of fraud. The organisation said that a fraud minister could ensure that banks and payment providers treat victims fairly and reimburse them properly. The consumer champion added that fraud is the UK’s most common crime, accounting for around 40 per cent of crimes committed in England and Wales.
— Apr 26, 2024
NEXT and TAG Company take crime and replenishment data to "NEXT" level
Leading fashion brand NEXT, working with UK-based TAG Company, has proven the case that retailers can now not only identify organised and opportunist criminals, but also exactly what they have stolen in order to build evidence packs for the police while at the same time rapidly replenishing the missing stock to reduce lost sales opportunities.
— Mar 21, 2024
Looking Beyond the Horizon
Four Years On from its Original Story, LP Magazine Europe Revisits Its Coverage of What Has Now Been Branded “the UK’s Biggest Miscarriage of Justice”
— Mar 21, 2024
I Predict a Riot
How Dublin, Once a Beacon of Welcome, Became a Symbol of Wider Crime and Disorder Trends Impacting Our Towns and Cities
— Mar 21, 2024
Out of the Shadows
Martyn’s Law Looks Set to Democratise Safety Around all of the UK’s Public Venues, Including Retail, But What Will the Business Impact Be?
— Feb 22, 2024
European retail trade body calls for action on Red Sea crisis
An international trade body representing the retail and wholesale industry in Europe has called for EU member states to address the Red Sea crisis that is impacting trade.
— Feb 22, 2024
Formula milk theft triggers price investigation
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a study into the supply of infant formula in the UK as part of its efforts to reduce the cost-of-living pressure in the groceries sector.
— Jan 29, 2024
Portal to help with supply chain challenges
The UK government has announced a new strategy to tackle supply chain disruption amidst attacks by the Houthis on ships in the Red Sea and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. The strategy includes the launch of a new online portal designed to allow businesses to quickly report red tape or disruption impacting their imports. The UK government's trade department promised that it would work to remove these barriers “wherever possible”. The move comes as the Houthis, an Iran-backed Islamist rebel group, threaten global trade by attacking ships in one of the world's most critical waterways.…
— Dec 13, 2023
Who Will Be Lonely This Christmas?
How Retailers Can Help Themselves to Tackle the Issue of Rough Sleeping
— Dec 11, 2023
Civil Recovery Surges in 2023 – is your business missing out?
During 2023, a year of surging inflation, high interest rates and ever-increasing shop theft, many retailers have finally woken up to the benefits of civil recovery - and not before time!
— Nov 27, 2023
One woman crime wave
How the NBCS helped close the loop on one of Britain’s most prolific retail fraudsters.
— Oct 30, 2023
Increased petrol prices fuel drive-offs
New figures reveal a sharp rise in drivers leaving petrol forecourts without paying – the so-called organised offence of ‘bilking’.
— Sep 26, 2023
The New Angels of The North
Businesses Reaching Out to Help Re-Shape the Future Recruitment and scape for Ex-Offenders “Coming Home”
— Sep 26, 2023
Buy, Lie And AI
From Chatbots to Synthetic Deepfakes, How the Risk Narrative Around Artificial Intelligence is Shifting
— Jul 27, 2023
Waitrose reports rise in shoplifting
Waitrose has reported a rise in shoplifting in its stores across the UK, as an MP said organised gangs were "operating with impunity".
— Jun 27, 2023
The Rise and Rise of Internal Theft
Cost-of-Living Crisis Brings Colleague Dishonesty Out of the Shadows
— Jun 26, 2023
Lush hoping to make government blush over refugee policy
Ethical beauty brand Lush used last week’s platform of national Refugee Week to shame the UK government over its unwelcoming strategy towards refugees fleeing persecution.
— May 24, 2023
The gender agenda in today's new world norm
Consultant and former global director of security operations, environment and health and safety Tim Moore explores diversity and inclusion (D&I), inspiring the future of the industry and the security leaders of tomorrow.
— Apr 26, 2023
Cost-of-living crisis bites into online sales
The cost-of-living crisis and stubborn inflation rates driven by food costs have triggered a drop in UK online spending.
— Apr 26, 2023
Identity fraud at an all time high
Identity fraud is now one of the biggest fraud threats facing members of the public, with cases soaring by nearly 25 per cent during the last year, according to the latest research from Cifas, the UK’s leading fraud prevention service.
— Mar 29, 2023
Deforestation legislation could lead to product shortages
The EU’s new laws will require all companies trading commodities to follow strict due diligence processes to trade with the bloc. Products linked to deforestation will be banned from import and export with the EU. This will also affect businesses either based or trading with the UK.
— Jan 25, 2023
Cash was king over Christmas as cost-of-living bites
Cash withdrawals at the Post Office increased by nearly seven per cent during the festive period, as consumers look to budget during the winter. December marked another record month for cash with the number of over-the-counter withdrawals jumping to £892 million from £835 million in November.
— Jan 24, 2023
Looking forward and future-proofing body worn camera integration
In what has rapidly become the winter of discontent, body worn cameras have earned their place in the toolbox of protections for key workers, proving to be a means of retaining colleagues who may otherwise have walked. But what about the strategic future of BWC? What else can it achieve to assist struggling retailers?
— Jan 23, 2023
Focussing upon the bigger picture for 2023
Retail businesses are increasingly required to understand the bigger picture when looking at the exposure to high levels of risk impacting their business. This is a key reason why global integrated CCTV provider March Networks wants to make 2023 a year to remember in terms of nurturing a wider more collaborative approach to the challenges facing the sector through a combination of global expertise and reach with targeted local delivery.
— Jan 23, 2023
Transformational next generation approach for 2023
At Amberstone Security, the New Year has served as an accelerant for many transformational changes the business had put in place in the previous 12 months
— Dec 14, 2022
We never appreciate what we have until it's gone
Steve Hewitt of Profitunity on why it’s so important to count on stock file accuracy.
— Dec 7, 2022
From UK to Ukraine, Security to Sanctuary
How International Caring and Compassion Are Helping to Bridge Europe’s Fragile Borders and Fault Lines
— Dec 7, 2022
How Does D&I Become Part of the DNA?
Can Greater Diversity Help Reverse the Great Resignation?
— Dec 6, 2022
'Body' of evidence points to greater colleague confidence
During 2022, the unfortunate continued increase in violence and aggression towards colleagues has resulted in many retailers investing in preventative technologies such as body worn cameras (BWC). Originally used by security guards, law enforcement and frontline emergency workers, the cameras are now ubiquitous among retail colleagues and have played a key role in deterring and defusing incidents of aggression and abuse, as well as building confidence among frontline staff.
— Dec 6, 2022
Greater intelligence through a forensic risk lens
As Christmas approaches, March Networks is reflecting upon the year’s global economic challenges – COVID-19, climate change and the cost-of-living crisis, for example – and their impact upon the retail sector. These challenges are a constant source of inspiration when it comes to the company’s technology roadmap and its goal of reducing risk via the transformation of video into usable business intelligence.
— Dec 6, 2022
Dare to share to deliver results in online fraud disruption
Comsec’s collaborative approach helps infiltrate and disrupt fraud networks.
— Dec 6, 2022
Making the most of Christmas 'present', not the ghost of Christmas past
Rising costs, staff and stock shortages and outages stalk the aisles and shelves of stores across the UK along with increasing violence and aggression towards colleagues already spooked by cost-of-living concerns. As stolen goods rather than stollen cake become the Yuletide priority, resilient and resourceful retailers have become used to dealing with what may seem be a never-ending economic hangover of increased organised and opportunistic crime. Instead, they are turning to more cost-effective, collaborative and intelligence-led solutions where more focussed LP teams are better…
— Nov 28, 2022
Full scale of fraud threat still unknown
The Home Office still does not know the full scale of the fraud threat posed to individuals and businesses and is not yet leading an effective cross-Government strategy to tackle it, according to the National Audit Office (NAO).
— Oct 31, 2022
UK parcel theft rockets to all-time high
The first ever global report into parcel theft has revealed figures are at an all-time high.
— Oct 25, 2022
The perfect storm for increased losses? Cost-of-living and labour shortages
With security officer recruitment and retention issues ongoing and loss prevention risks higher than average at this time of year, how can you ensure your security plan for peak is watertight with adequate suppliers lined up to support you?
— Sep 28, 2022
JAM Today and Tomorrow
How the Cost-of-Living Crisis Is Spreading Its Own Retail Crime Wave
— Sep 20, 2022
More cost-of-living support for retail workers
Sainsbury’s has announced a £25 million investment in a support package to help its hourly-paid staff with rising household costs during the cost-of-living crisis.
— Sep 20, 2022
Are you harnessing the power of difference in your teams?
The retail security and loss prevention sector could and should do more to attract a more diverse pool of talent. This is one of the key themes to be explored during a panel discussion at the Retail Risk conference at the King Power Stadium, Leicester on 6th October, where retail panellists will be discussing the importance of diversity and inclusion, with a particular focus on retail security teams.
— Aug 30, 2022
FCA warns firms offering BNPL over misleading advertising
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has warned firms that offer Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) products of the consequences of promoting misleading adverts.
— Aug 30, 2022
Iceland boss calls for more help for businesses
Iceland boss Richard Walker has called on ministers to issue more support for businesses struggling with soaring energy bills.
— Aug 30, 2022
Shop window diversity and the need to turn 'fine words' into action
The economic shop window provided by the retail sector – the UK’s biggest employer – must reflect the diversity and inclusion (D&I) of its wider customer base and look to turn positive words into meaningful shop floor action.
— Jul 27, 2022
Facial recognition probed down under
Australia's privacy watchdog has launched an investigation into two retail giants over their use of facial recognition technology.
— Jun 29, 2022
Small World, Big Ideas
Partners in International Crime Fighting Cook up Collaborative Approaches to Risk
— Jun 29, 2022
Why Minding Your Own Business Is Never Good for Business
Home, as the saying goes, may be “where the heart is,” but if official figures are anything to go by, it may also be “where the hurt is” as domestic abuse cases sharply increased due to the global pandemic and the consequential work-from-home rules that meant vulnerable people became trapped in the very environments where they felt least safe.
— Apr 26, 2022
Enterprising ex-offenders show off fashion line
April saw the launch of UK’s first clothing range created, designed and hand produced by young ex-offenders and sold through a pop-up stall in Westfield Stratford City shopping centre.
— Mar 29, 2022
Protocol Pragmatism And the Brexit Bridge Over Troubled Waters
Sir Kenneth Branagh’s much-acclaimed and award-winning film Belfast, set against the backdrop of the tumult of that city’s troubles during the late 1960s, is a comedy-drama that exudes a warmth and charm that seems wildly at odds with its subject matter.
— Mar 29, 2022
Artificial Intelligence Fact or Fiction?
“Artificial intelligence” is a term coined as late as 1955, but long before this—since the dawn of the computer-age—philosophers, scientists, and politicians alike have wondered and worried in equal measure over the awesome power, potential, and application of intelligent machines.
— Mar 9, 2022
A swift exit for post-pandemic security checking
Global security screening expert business Thruvision provides a strong example of an existing technology that has successfully evolved with the pandemic. Indeed, it could be described as a solution that has perfectly adapted to the challenges created by the new normal.
— Mar 9, 2022
Retailers warned - it's post-pandemic pay back time
Business Loss Prevention Ltd, a specialist civil recovery provider is receiving a lot of enquiries from businesses about furlough overpayments and how they can help them recover these.
— Jan 31, 2022
Brits bin more than £1bn worth of fruit and veg each year
A staggering £1.17bn worth of fruit, veg and bread is wasted every year by Brits, according to new research from Sainsbury’s. The study reveals that the average British household throws away nearly three items a week, or 75.6m as a nation.
— Dec 15, 2021
Warning Signs
Why the Writing Was on the Wall for Vintage Sign Writer Jason Anker and Why Value, Worth, and Well-Being Should Always Accompany Health and Safety
— Nov 25, 2021
Anti-counterfeiting group launches festive crackdown on fake goods
A multi-agency focus group aimed at reducing the availability of counterfeit goods at physical markets and online is warning consumers to watch out for fake, and potentially dangerous goods, that may appear on social media in the run up to the festive shopping season.
— Nov 25, 2021
Christmas not on the cards this year
One in every two UK consumers is planning to ditch their credit card entirely for Christmas shopping this year, claims research from Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) company Klarna.
— Nov 4, 2021
A fair way to protect golfers against fairway thieves
The cost-neutral Immobilise technology first created for the mobile phone and electronics market, has been adapted for the golf market. A free-to register initiative for marked clubs using either the serial or unique product code applied at the point of manufacture – often printed on the club shaft – or applied by cost-effective security kits at store level.
— Nov 4, 2021
New partnership key to smarter alarm response
Loss prevention and security teams looking to keep colleagues safe and make alarm response more efficient can now benefit from a new partnership that combines professional call-out and removes the need for keyholding services.
— Nov 4, 2021
Sending online delivery fraudsters packing
PACKED is a new consignment checking system which combines camera technology at the point of pick and pack with transaction checking capability, to enable retailers to quickly ascertain whether a customer is making a fraudulent or genuine claim of goods non-receipt.
— Nov 4, 2021
Now you see them, now you don't
Navigating a path to enable retailers to capture evidential images of suspects while removing those pictures of innocent by-standers has created major efficiency and cost challenges for many LP and health and safety teams. But thanks to the award-winning AXIS Live Privacy Shield, the focus has shifted to only capturing the images of interest whilst masking all other background activity.
— Oct 28, 2021
Small business accounts for half of Britain's business-driven emissions
Small companies account for roughly 50 per cent of Britain’s business-driven emissions, the same proportion as larger businesses, according to research from the British Business Bank.
— Oct 27, 2021
Lone working landscape survey reveals worrying trend
Almost 70 per cent of businesses have experienced an incident involving staff working alone in the past three years, with a fifth of these episodes described as being severe in nature, according to research conducted by lone worker organisation StaySafe.
— Jul 26, 2021
Sharp rise in identity fraud
The UK’s largest fraud prevention service is warning of a sharp spike in identity scams as cases filed to the National Fraud Database increased by 11 per cent in the first six months of 2021.
— Jul 16, 2021
Where real time results are more than cosmetic
How technology is ‘democratising’ risk management and colleague deployment, post-pandemic
— Jun 23, 2021
Should fraud reporting be levelled up with rules around money laundering?
New research is underway to understand the current fraud landscape and explore whether reporting it should be made compulsory and levelled up with laws surrounding money laundering.
— May 25, 2021
Digital platforms given extra 6 months to implement SCA
Retailers and e-tailers are being granted an additional six months to put in place legally required improvements to payment security as the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has extended the deadline for implementing Strong Customer Authentication (SCA).
— May 25, 2021
Booze sales down
Theories that more people would reach for the bottle to get them through the global pandemic and lockdown restrictions have proved unfounded as alcohol sales across the world actually shrank, according to new figures.
— May 25, 2021
Adapt, Adapt, Adapt!
Fresh calls for a levelling of the taxation playing field between physical stores and online brands has been made by the chair of John Lewis who is urging Chancellor Rishi Sunak to ditch the current business rates system.
— Apr 26, 2021
Is less human interaction in retail here to stay?
Two consumer behaviour surveys published this month reveal a desire for more technological intervention in our shopping habits has emerged post-pandemic.
— Mar 29, 2021
Raising the Standards in the Gambling Industry
Risk, by its very definition, is often described in gambling terms—a roll of the dice, a flip of a coin, a turn of a card, or a spin of the wheel. It is, after all, gambling with the random laws of chance if you don’t have a thought-through plan or a series of mitigation strategies in place for the outcome of where and when the dice, coin, card, or ball lands.
— Mar 29, 2021
Has the Supply Chain Become the Weakest Link?
It takes a global pandemic to recognise the contribution of the logistics sector to everyday life, with humble lorry drivers being transported to the status of “key workers,” ensuring the essential wheels of industry keep turning.
— Mar 26, 2021
Free ports free-for-all could cause a considerable increase in illicit trade
The Anti-Counterfeiting Group, the UK’s leading watchdog for fake goods, has warned of the dangers posed by a rush to introduce free ports across Britain.
— Feb 25, 2021
Supply chain delays will cause stock shortages and inflated shop prices, warns new report
Delays getting goods into the UK since the end of the Brexit transition period at the start of the year are likely to result in stock shortages for retailers and inflated shop prices for consumers, according to a new report.
— Feb 22, 2021
Business disruption that interrupts business disruption
Retailers and their suppliers, many of whom have also had to furlough staff during the pandemic, have found their own disruptive technologies to counter the wider societal disruption of COVID-19 so that they have a business to return to once restrictions are lifted.
— Jan 27, 2021
Europe imposes fines of more than £240m for data protection breaches
More than £240 million worth of fines have been imposed for a wide range of infringements of Europe’s data protection laws, according to international law firm DLA Piper.
— Dec 17, 2020
Fraud warnings on parcel deliveries
UK Finance, the association representing the banking and financial services sector, is warning consumers to be extra vigilant against criminals looking to defraud them by posing as parcel delivery companies, as more people across the country are expected to shop online this Christmas than ever before.
— Dec 17, 2020
Facial recognition under attack
UK-based charity Privacy International has expressed concerns about the launch of facial recognition across 18 Southern Co-operative stores in response to an 80 per cent increase in violence and aggression against staff.
— Oct 28, 2020
Tesco launches drone delivery trial in Ireland
Tesco has launched its trial of drone home deliveries with shoppers in County Galway, Ireland.
— Sep 30, 2020
Digital payments reach point of no return
Digital payments could have reached a point of no return as one in five European adults used them for the first time during lockdown, according to a new report from Forrester, which predicted that changes to behaviour will have long-term consequences for banks, networks, payment processors and retailers.
— Sep 29, 2020
Is the new bad back the new bad back?
As the UK hunkers down for another potential six months of restrictions including the Government U turn on getting staff back into the office, the question raising its head is: "Is the new bad back the new bad back?" as longer-term working from home takes its toll on the nation’s spines.
— Aug 26, 2020
Smart video analytics should be used strategically
A new report is calling for retailers to leverage video analytics more strategically, to control costs, improve operations and increase profitability.
— Jul 30, 2020
From here to returnity
The post-COVID world where Loss Prevention meets loss of confidence.
— Jul 30, 2020
M&S achieves 99.5% inventory accuracy across its retail stores with Retail & Asset Solutions’ RFID Hybrid Stocktaking Solution
M&S has long been an advocate for the use of RFID in retail from pioneering its use in the UK since 2004. Although the majority of their clothing and home stock is now RFID enabled (95%), M&S had predominantly used barcode scanning to reset their stock files on a 6-monthly basis.
— Jun 29, 2020
Improving inventory record accuracy
Why it matters for the business and why it should be on the LP agenda.
— Jun 29, 2020
Always keep your eyes on the horizon
Subpostmasters attempt to clear their names and highlight what can happen when fraud claims go woefully wrong.
— Jun 26, 2020
Majority of businesses exposed to reputational risk
Businesses are becoming increasingly vulnerable to reputational risk, with 70 per cent of companies having been exposed to a potentially damaging episode, according to the fifth annual Global Risk Landscape Report produced by accountancy and business advisory firm BDO LLP.
— May 23, 2020
Reluctance to seek medical care drives counterfeit medicine
People are buying prescription-based medicines over the Internet rather than seeking medical advice according to the Anti-Counterfeiting Group (ACG).
— May 23, 2020
Hole in the wall will no longer result in hole in store finances
Stores that have been forced to pay separate business rates on their ‘hole in the wall’ ATMs are due more than £500 million in rebates after a new legal ruling.
— Apr 28, 2020
Warning over COVID-19 counterfeit products
The Anti-Counterfeiting Group (ACG) and the Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade (TRACIT), are urging consumers to take seriously the risks presented by the growing numbers of fake and ineffective cleaning solutions, anti-bacterial wipes, surgical masks and medicines being sold during the Coronavirus pandemic.
— Mar 30, 2020
On guard over "labour only" contracts
Security industry strives to restore industry reputation and plug "bought-in labour" loophole
— Feb 26, 2020
Will free sanitary wear create period drama for retailers?
Presenting vouchers or having to provide ‘proof of need’ may offer practical steps or challenges for the introduction of free sanitary wear after Scottish MSPs backed the principle of tackling period poverty by making sanitary products available ‘to all free of charge.’
— Jan 29, 2020
Scottish fraud cases triple
The value of major fraud cases going through the Scottish courts has more than tripled in 2019, according to the latest KPMG Fraud Barometer.
— Dec 18, 2019
Will Boris impose tax on digital sales?
The acronym BORIS – buy online return in store – may have passed into retail parlance, but will newly-elected prime minister Boris Johnson follow up on the pre-poll pledge to impose a tax on digital sales and face a potential tariff confrontation with the White House?
— Dec 18, 2019
Increased UK fraud is on the cards
The UK’s card fraud losses were the biggest in Europe, and account for nearly half of the €1,616 million (£1,400 million) lost to fraud across the 19 countries on the map, according to analytics software firm FICO’S annual European survey.
— Dec 2, 2019
Defamation case over M&S bag thrown out by Irish court
A judge has dismissed a woman’s €75,000 damages claim for defamation, which was brought after she was asked whether she had paid €1 for a Marks and Spencer (M&S) shopping bag.
— Dec 2, 2019
Payment security compliance in worrying decline
Payment security compliance has declined for the second year in a row, with organisations based in the Americas particularly lagging behind worldwide counterparts, according to Verizon’s 2019 Payment Security Report.
— Dec 2, 2019
Don't be fooled this yule, says ACG
Consumers are being warned to be aware of the dangers of fakes and counterfeit gifts during the festive season.
— Oct 28, 2019
Internal fraud one of the biggest threats to charity sector
Over two thirds of charities (69 per cent) think fraud is a major risk to the charity sector and internal fraud is recognised as one of the biggest threats.
— Oct 28, 2019
Boris is hitting the headlines and it's not in relation to Brexit
There is more than one controversial Boris hitting the headlines, and it’s not in relation to Brexit, according to a new survey into retail fraud scams.
— Jun 11, 2019
Shaping the future of loss prevention
Retail is changing. What loss prevention does tomorrow will be different than today
— Jun 11, 2019
The recovery of civil recovery
How civil restitution has been reinvented and rehabilitated
— May 22, 2019
Defamation is fuelling a small business crisis in Ireland
The boss of a security business that specialises in forecourt technology that prevents criminal ‘drive-offs’ is supporting an initiative to change the defamation of character laws in the Republic of Ireland.
— May 22, 2019
Shoplifters of the world are uniting in Manchester
The latest crime figures suggest there were two acts of retail pilfering every hour but 85 per cent of cases were dropped by police and prosecutors.
— Apr 30, 2019
AI Driving River Island Stock
Fashion giant River Island has chosen Spanish tech firm Nextail to roll out artificial intelligence (AI) driven forecasting and stock solutions across its store and product network.
— Mar 28, 2019
Retail crime prevention costs are increasing
The total cost of crime and crime prevention for retailers was £1.9 billion last year, up 12 per cent from £1.7 billion the previous year, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
— Mar 28, 2019
Fraudsters are ahead of the game
Almost two thirds (73 per cent) of UK businesses believe that fraudsters who carry out payments fraud are now ‘ahead of the industry’, according to the third annual Business Fraud Report from Vocalink, a Mastercard company.
— Mar 28, 2019
Changing of the Guard
Recruitment for retail store guarding is now drawing from a more diverse talent pool, according to figures from one of the UK’s biggest security screening businesses which is seeing greater interest from women, ethnic minorities and disabled candidates.
— Feb 28, 2019
Chargeback Disputes
How data collection can help beat friendly fraud to win back revenue.
— Jan 31, 2019
Criminal drive off spike prompts interest in unmanned stations
A spike in criminal drive-offs from forecourts has prompted renewed interest in unmanned fuel stations, according to Metro Security which provides technology that integrates CCTV and ANPR for both kiosk-driven and ‘pay-at-the-pump’ service areas.
— Jan 31, 2019
Amazon commences robot delivery trials in the US
Online multi-merchandise retailer Amazon has begun trials of an autonomous delivery robot called Scout.
— Dec 17, 2018
From Knocking On Doors to Knocking In Doors
The new Director General of the Anti-Counterfeiting Group on the challenges of fighting IP infringement
— Dec 17, 2018
It's Never Too Late to Innovate
For the critics who argue that there is nothing new under the sun in loss prevention, there is a contrary argument—it’s never too late to innovate.
— Dec 17, 2018
The Effective Management of a Fatal Accident Investigation
Preparing for the first forty-eight hours after a fatal accident.
— Oct 30, 2018
Under 21s more likely to be victims of ID fraud
According to Cifas, the UK’s leading fraud prevention service, a startling number of young people are falling victim to identity fraud.
— Sep 28, 2018
No deal Brexit impact on credit card payments
The UK government has warned that in the event of a no-deal Brexit, consumers would face slower and more costly credit card payments when they buy European Union products, while British citizens living abroad could lose access to their bank accounts altogether.
— Sep 28, 2018
Voice fraud on the increase
A new report highlights a rise in voice-activated fraud, and the problem is set to get worse with the rise of synthetic speech powered by artificial intelligence.
— Sep 27, 2018
Autocorrection and Data-Driven Justice
How can retail benefit from advances in Artificial Intelligence that are revolutionising justice and healthcare?
— Sep 27, 2018
Getting Needle at Work
Rising substance abuse in the workplace prompts increase in UK testing market and need for “amnesties”.
— Aug 30, 2018
Retail crime, shrinkage and security study
Crime, shrinkage and security are key interests across the retail sector. Portsmouth Business School is working with Crime&tech srl (www.crimetech.it), a spin-off company of the Università Cattolica of Milan, to carry out a study on retail crime across 11 European countries: Belgium, Finland, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
— Aug 30, 2018
ID fraud dips for the first time since 2014
The latest headline figures for incidents of identity fraud, which represents more than half of all recorded fraud incidents, have shown the first decline since 2014, according to CIFAS, the UK’s leading fraud prevention service.
— Jul 30, 2018
Worldpay trials drone with contactless payment technology to combat fraud
Worldpay is developing a proof-of-concept drone that incorporates contactless payment technology to help combat the growing issue of parcel fraud.
— Jul 30, 2018
NBCS urges logistics firms to help stub out tobacco theft
The National Business Crime Solution (NBCS) is urging logistics companies to do more to halt the rapid escalation in tobacco theft from the rear of delivery vehicles.
— Jun 29, 2018
Women of Loss Prevention
US survey results reveal how women view their current roles in the industry
— Jun 29, 2018
UK's growing drug culture requires more rigorous workplace drugs testing
More rigorous drugs testing required to provide staff with a safe working environment
— Mar 28, 2018
Retail strides vs Surveillance creep
Why regulation of feature recognition goes beyond face value.
— Mar 27, 2018
ICO encouraging firms to put their heads in the 'sand'
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) plans to create a "regulatory sandbox" – a safe software testing environment - as part of its first ever technology strategy to help organisations build adequate data protection into their products before they are released.
— Feb 27, 2018
Fraud is increasing in cost and complexity
Fraud is increasing in cost and complexity, according to the latest report from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
— Jan 30, 2018
December's weakest spending for last five years
Christmas closed off a very lean year for spending, according to the latest survey from Visa.
— Dec 15, 2017
Driving the Gender Agenda
Diversity, some may argue, is an over-used word in the workplace.
— Dec 15, 2017
Cross-Border Co-operation
There’s an old Irish Proverb that says, “You can’t plough a field by just turning it over in your mind.”
— Dec 14, 2017
Sainsbury’s and Unilever look at bitcoin technology for sustainability
Sainsbury’s and Unilever have joined a new international initiative that will test whether blockchain – the critical part of the bitcoin peer-to-peer payment system - can help reward sustainability in the supply chain.
— Dec 11, 2017
Searching for Reality in Retail
Read any retail trade publication or mainstream news-media article about our industry, and chances are that you will walk away feeling bearish on the future of this business.
— Dec 11, 2017
Game Changers - The rise of Hayley Jane Lee of Gala Leisure
Game Changers is a brand new series of what will be regular articles in LP Magazine Europe focusing upon inspirational risk practitioners.
— Nov 28, 2017
Continued counterfeiting will drive hologram growth in 2018, but look out for new developments, days trade body
Global threats are set to continue to push demand for authentication and brand protection devices such as holograms, predicts a leading global industry trade body.
— Nov 28, 2017
Greater competition on the cards in Europe
Competition is expected to grow in the European payment card market as issuers are taking advantage of the wider acceptance enjoyed by Mastercard and Visa by pushing ahead with the upgrade of Maestro and Electron cards, new research from RBR has found.
— Oct 31, 2017
Gender pay gap grows
With one of the Government’s flagship rules on pay equality scheduled to come into force in 2018, just one per cent of the UK’s large companies have complied with the new pay transparency rules so far, according to a new study from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).
— Oct 6, 2017
ORIS scoops Vendor of the year at Retail Risk Awards
ORIS has scooped the coveted Vendor of the Year award at the 2017 Retail Risk Awards which took place at the King Power Stadium, Leicester on 5th October.
— Sep 28, 2017
The need for a longer reach for the GDPR
In his best-selling management title The World is Flat, business journalist and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Thomas Friedman prophetically framed the rapid development in technology and communications thusly, “Remember, in 2005: Facebook didn’t exist for most people, Twitter was still a sound, 4G was a parking space, and Skype was a typo!”
— Sep 28, 2017
New disruptive technology could be an LP game changer
Opposites attract. In life as in science, polarity generates a need to pull together, and a positive always needs a negative.
— Sep 27, 2017
Tax Stamp body briefs EU Government on flaws in tobacco track and trace legislation
The international tax stamp industry has expressed concerns over how the implementation of the track and trace and security feature requirements of the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD).
— Aug 31, 2017
River Island reduces garment theft by 60 per cent at flagship store
River Island has reported a reduction in retail theft of 60 per cent on garments at its flagship store on Oxford Street following the introduction of new security tag technology.
— Jul 28, 2017
Passport to CCTV Compliance
New guidelines on the legal installation and use of CCTV systems have been introduced by the Surveillance Camera Commissioner.
— Jul 28, 2017
UK needs to provide clarity on data plans post-Brexit
The UK Government should step up to the plate in terms of parity with the European Union (EU) with respect to data protection in order to ensure unhindered data flows between the UK and the EU post-Brexit, according to the EU Home Affairs Sub Committee.
— Jun 30, 2017
Canine Crime Fighters Become Digital Detectives
There's an old saying that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Like many similar pearls of wisdom, it is no longer fit for purpose in the twenty-first century, particularly when dogs have an inexhaustible appetite to learn.
— Jun 30, 2017
Security industry urges PM to go soft on Brexit
The Government must refresh its Brexit strategy and reach out to a wider community in order to build consensus for its negotiating priorities, according to security industry trade association ADS.
— Jun 30, 2017
Organised gangs research
New research reveals that organised crime groups (OCGs) are twice as prolific as official figures indicate.
— Jun 30, 2017
Only the brave
LP professionals are being asked to nominate someone from their ranks for acts of bravery in the line of duty as part of the prestigious City of London Sherriff’s Award.
— Jun 30, 2017
Investing in Research - Keeping it Fresh
Someone recently asked why the ECR Community Shrink & OSA Group has kept going for so long.
— May 31, 2017
UK companies could be exposed on DP laws post-Brexit
Mythology about European laws not impacting the UK post-Brexit has resulted in more than a quarter of British businesses in the retail sector cancelling all preparation for the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) on the misunderstanding that it will not apply.
— Apr 26, 2017
New report raises fresh alarms over counterfeiting, says Trade Body
A report predicting a continuing rise in counterfeiting will sound fresh alarm bells for producers and suppliers of goods, warns the International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA).
— Mar 29, 2017
Can We Globalise around Global Eyes?
While the new “anti-establishment” world is rejecting globalisation, will CCTV technology integration provide the panacea to retail risks?
— Mar 29, 2017
Travel Should Broaden the Mind, Not the Risk
Overseas travel, particularly business travel, can be seen as glamorous by the uninitiated.
— Feb 27, 2017
Global fraud losses up 40 per cent since 2008
Fraud now costs UK organisations a staggering £125 billion each year, with cyber playing a part in most incidents, according to a new report.
— Jan 31, 2017
The gender agenda
The still largely male-dominated world of loss prevention could this year placed under the gender pay spotlight.
— Jan 31, 2017
Home Office launches retail crime survey
The UK Government is carrying out an extensive survey of retail and cyber- crime to help drive and target harden crime-fighting policy.
— Dec 14, 2016
Preparing for the Future Retail Loss Landscape
It has proven to be another interesting year for the European retail industry as it continues to grapple with an unstable economic outlook, growing competition, greater complexity, and the proliferation of technological innovation with omni-channel and e-commerce seeing rapid growth in many countries.
— Nov 21, 2016
Global threats drive hologram 2017 growth, says trade body
Continuing demand for effective security devices to meet global threats will drive growth for authentication and brand protection holograms in 2017, says the industry trade body.
— Oct 6, 2016
Don't Leave Me This Way
The tectonic plates of Europe underwent a seismic shift on 23 June when Britain decided in a referendum to be the first ever country to exit (Brexit) the European Union (EU).
— Oct 6, 2016
A US Perspective on Loss Prevention Leadership
Successful loss prevention executives must have a broad knowledge and skill base well beyond just understanding cameras, tags, investigations, and other loss prevention tactics.
— Sep 26, 2016
Dial F for fraud
Phone scams are on the increase, but consumers are failing to hang up on fraudsters.
— Aug 31, 2016
Khan target hardens capital against terror
Sadiq Khan, the new mayor of London is target hardening the capital against the threat of terrorist attack.
— Jul 29, 2016
Five steps to fight fraud
There is no ‘one-size fits all’ risk strategy, and recognising that fact is one way of assisting businesses to combat the mushrooming trend in cyber-crime.
— Jun 29, 2016
Predicting the Future of Loss Prevention
There are few upsides for those predicting the future, as it is a certainty that any wrong prediction will live forever. Just ask Bill Gates about his prediction that 640 KB of memory ought to be enough.
— Jun 29, 2016
Changing The Guard
In the UK Chancellor's July 2015 Budget, George Osborne surprised many political commentators by announcing that Britain would be following the example set by Germany last year with the introduction of a National Living Wage (NLW) of £7.20 per hour for people over twenty-five years old. Furthermore, this figure would rise to £9 per hour by 2020.
— May 31, 2016
ORIS Forums celebrates 10th anniversary with 'best event to date'.
ORIS Forums, the not-for-profit collective of retail-led forums that share best practice and intelligence to reduce risk and crime in the retail sector, celebrated its 10th anniversary in style this month with its party-themed annual Risk Summit.
— Apr 30, 2016
Invoice fraud on the increase
Small businesses in the UK are losing more than £9bn from invoice fraud every year.
— Mar 16, 2016
Risk consultancy is booming, according to global report
Risk and regulatory work is now the fastest-growing consulting service in the UK, breaking the £500 million barrier for the first time.
— Feb 25, 2016
Retailer Rose tackles thorny issue of 'Brexit'
Britain would be landed with £11bn in new tariffs if it left the EU and did not get a free trade agreement, according to Lord Stuart Rose, the CEO of online supermarket Ocado.
— Feb 25, 2016
New figures reveal fraud at its highest since 2011
The latest BDO FraudTrack report shows that the total value of reported fraud in 2015 was £1.5 billion, representing an increase of 110% from the previous year and the highest value recorded since 2011.
— Dec 16, 2015
Survey – Tackling Cyber-Crime: The Role of Private Security
One of the most respected criminal behaviour research bodies in the UK is carrying out a study into the role of private and corporate security in addressing the threat of cyber-crime.
— Dec 9, 2015
Who Buys Wins
The Importance of Adopting a Collaborative Approach to Shrink Management
— Oct 29, 2015
China in our hands
UK Trade and Investment, the Government department that supports UK-based exporters, has signed agreements with five top Chinese e-marketplaces to widen access to China's market of more than 650 million Internet users to British retailers.
— Sep 28, 2015
International Rescue
When It’s Not Business as Usual in the World’s Most Troubled Territories
— Aug 28, 2015
Cyber-Crime, Online Investigations & Security Course - 29th & 30th September
ORIS Media is holding a unique 2-day Cyber-crime, Online Investigations & Security course that is being run in partnership with two well-respected organisations that are experts in their field; Cyber-crime experts – The Risk Management Group, and the leading providers of non-confrontational interview techniques training – Wicklander-Zulawski.
— Aug 28, 2015
Supply chain helps push UK Fraud up by 22 per cent
The value of fraud in the UK has risen by 22 per cent to £385 million, according to the latest figures from the respected KPMG Fraud Barometer.
— Jul 31, 2015
‘Wee lads and lasses’ sought for Scottish shoplifting sprees as part of Fagin’s gangs, warns Anti-Slavery Commissioner
Children as young as 10 years old have been arrested for shoplifting in Glasgow stores, according to shocking official figures.
— Jul 31, 2015
Insurance industry records spike in bogus slip and trip claims
The compensation claim culture reached a new high after a report revealed that the number of insurance liability frauds - including so-called 'slip and trip' accidents - jumped by 75% last year.
— Jul 31, 2015
Report highlights European cost of fake goods
A new report has for the first time attempted to put a figure on the cost of counterfeit goods to industry and the collective Governments of Europe.
— Jul 7, 2015
What next for EAS?
This article set out to answer the question—what next for EAS? Reflections on Current and Future Developments in Product Protection by Colin Peacock, ECR Europe
— Jul 7, 2015
Why LP is going to the dogs
LP Magazine EU sniffs out examples of where man’s best friend is on the front paw of risk management as public law enforcement retreats from front line detection in favour of an increased role for so-called “private pooches.”
— Jul 1, 2015
A new face in the fight against business crime
A successful initiative that has helped to raise the profile and improve public and private sector collaboration in the fight against business crime is now joining forces with a not-for-profit crime intelligence sharing platform that it helped to create.
— Apr 29, 2015
Not my role
What you can tell about a store’s shrink rate from the state of the staff washroom.
— Apr 29, 2015
German Data Protection Commissioners take action against Safe Harbor
The protection of international customer data as provided by the so-called ‘Safe Harbor Program’ operating between the EU and the US, is under threat from within, which will mean that companies need to consider alternative methods of protecting cross-border sensitive information such as credit or debit card details.
— Mar 31, 2015
Young men the biggest risk group for identity fraud
Recorded incidents of fraud increased by 25 per cent last year, according to the latest report from the UK’s fraud prevention service - CIFAS.
— Mar 31, 2015
Global Economic Retail Crime getting worse
A PwC report says that global economic crime impacting the retail and consumer markets is on the rise, with almost half of respondents to a global survey being impacted.
— Mar 2, 2015
The ABC of beating corruption
Retail is one sector where businesses may fall under scrutiny of the far-reaching Bribery Act. Sainsbury’s has already fallen foul of the Act, but any retailer that deals in millions of euro supplier contracts in the UK, or overseas, will fall under scrutiny.
— Jan 27, 2015
New European Data Protection rules set for 2015
Major changes to EU data security legislation are expected to become law in 2015; however many UK organisations have yet to ensure they are compliant, according to one expert.
— Jan 27, 2015
Forum brings Police and security companies together
A new group has been launched to provide a forum through which Police and commercial security organisations can work closer together in London.
— Dec 8, 2014
How “Minority Report” Affects the Majority
Future Proofing the World of Biometrics in a Mobile Age
— Nov 28, 2014
Research will help tackle worldwide organised crime
The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) has announced the launch of a new strategic hub designed to explore and tackle serious and organised crime by way of high level research both in the UK and overseas.
— Nov 28, 2014
Germany invests more in anti-theft technologies
Shop theft in Germany has reached such a level that retailers are investing in more technology and innovative ways of protecting stock, according to research from Cologne-based EuroHandelinstitut (EHI).
— Oct 27, 2014
CCTV must be necessary and proportionate – ICO
The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has warned CCTV operators that surveillance cameras must only be used as a necessary and proportionate response to a real and pressing problem.
— Sep 23, 2014
15 years and 15 best practices to help retailers Sell More and Lose Less
Colin Peacock from the ECR Europe Shrinkage and On-shelf Availability (OSA) Group outlines some of the key learnings from the extensive work undertaken by this group over the past 15 years.
— Aug 15, 2014
Profiling takes shape
Offender profiling is taking a different shape, as investigators grapple with increasingly ‘social’ criminal activity.
— Jun 25, 2014
Variance in EU Salaries
Loss prevention is probably the most schizophrenic of all retail jobs. Its personalities are numerous and its masters are manifold. Even the titles are different. Some refer to themselves as loss prevention, others asset or profit protection, and still others as security managers. An increasing number are identified as business risk executives, looking after the broader range of issues to include business continuity, brand protection, and the health and safety of thousands of workers and customers. This may even include those customers who enter a store with the sole intent of…
— Jun 23, 2014
Brand reputation damages Amazon’s sales
Amazon’s UK sales growth has slowed over the past year as consumer perceptions of the brand fell after criticism of the amount of tax the firm pays.
— Apr 30, 2014
No glass ceiling for women in LP
There is no longer a glass ceiling for women in retail loss prevention - and, controversially, some say there never was, according to some of the most prominent women working in the sector.
— Mar 26, 2014
Is It Possible to Future-Proof the Potential for RFID?
Radio frequency identification (RFID) has not so much had a difficult birth, but also a troubled and tormented upbringing and has often been referred to by cynics as suffering from the “Kennedy Syndrome.”
— Mar 26, 2014
Hash Tag Privacy - Who Is Twitting on Twitter?
It could be argued that social media, the Internet sensation that allows real-time peer-to-peer communication, has become a troubled adolescent who has very much grown up in the public.
— Mar 20, 2014
Angry Birds hacking
US and British spy agencies routinely try to gain access to personal data from Angry Birds and other mobile applications, according to a new report.
— Nov 26, 2013
Women in LP
There is a saying about women in business—If you are going to break through the glass ceiling, don’t wear a skirt! Although said by a man, there is a secondary, more implicit message that you have to “wear the trousers” and somehow become “de-feminised” if you want to get on. The unlikely “poster girl” for this image was perhaps the late Baroness Thatcher who was said to have more testosterone than most of her all-male Cabinet, and was loved and loathed in equal measure for her tough approach to opponents and other world leaders.
