Australians more accepting of theft as retail crime grows, new study finds

Monash University

Key points:

More than one in four consumers believed retail theft was justifiable to some degree
More shoppers think taking advantage of customer service and manipulating promotions is justified
Researchers found most consumers felt safe in shopping centres

A new report by Monash University retail studies experts has revealed more relaxed attitudes towards retail theft and other deviant retail behaviours, posing a growing challenge for retailers nationwide.

The Consumer Deviance Spotlight report, released today and developed by Monash Business School’s Australian Consumer and Retail Studies (ACRS) research unit, surveyed 1,047 shoppers across Australia aged 18 years and older to investigate the attitudes and behaviours of Australian shoppers as part of the annual ACRS Retail Monitor. The data was collected in June 2025.

Lead author of the report and ACRS Research & Strategy Director, Stephanie Atto, said the study sought to better understand Australians' views on different elements of retail theft and other deviant behaviours, including manipulation of deals and promotions, taking advantage of customer service, and perspectives on shopping centre safety and security.

The study found that, across blatant forms of theft, more than one in four consumers believed retail theft was justifiable to some degree, including specific behaviours like taking an item without paying for it (27 per cent), changing price tags on products (30 per cent), not scanning some items when using self-checkout terminals (32 per cent), and scanning items as cheaper items when using self-checkout terminals (36 per cent).

Ms Atto said that although some shoppers considered these forms of theft justifiable, the vast majority (85-89 per cent) still acknowledged they were illegal.

Notably, there were stark differences in how justifiable these deviant behaviours were viewed by different age groups. For example, taking an item without paying for it was not at all justifiable to 93 per cent of consumers aged 55 years and older, while 7 per cent believed it was justifiable to some extent. In contrast, 46 per cent of consumers aged 18-34 years of age considered taking an item and not paying for it to be not at all justifiable, while 54 per cent believed it was justifiable to some degree.

“What we are seeing is that a growing number of Australian shoppers, particularly younger people, consider some form of retail theft to be justifiable, whether that is taking an item without paying, changing price tags or deliberately misusing self-checkouts,” Ms Atto said.

“These findings are concerning because while most people acknowledge such behaviours are illegal, there is a growing acceptance of them in practice.”

Apart from blatant theft, the research also found an increasing acceptance of other deviant behaviour in retail settings.

“Many Australians consider manipulating deals and promotions to be justifiable. Shoppers reported increased acceptance of lying about a child’s age to get a cheaper price, creating multiple email accounts to redeem a one-time offer, and claiming a lower price at a competitor to secure a discount, with 47 to 64 percent of Australians indicating these behaviours are justifiable to some extent,” Ms Atto said.

The report showed a similar trend in attitudes towards taking advantage of customer service. Consumers said it was justifiable to mislead shop assistants about unpriced items (34 per cent), write negative reviews for compensation (40 per cent), and stay silent when a bill was miscalculated in their favour (60 per cent).

For the first time, the researchers also examined shoppers’ perspectives on shopping centre safety and security.

“With media portrayals of heightened threats in recent years, we were interested in understanding Australian shoppers' views on shopping centre safety and security, and found that the majority of shoppers felt safe in shopping centres,” Ms Atto said.

“Additionally, most recalled seeing security personnel during visits over the past three months.”

The report adds to recent ABS data showing 595,660 victims of theft nationally in 2024, the highest in 21 years and a 6 per cent increase on the previous year, with almost half of all incidents occurring in retail settings.

Although retail trade and consumer confidence have steadily improved in 2025, the researchers warn that rising retail crime threatens to offset these gains.

With the marked increase in retail crime, retailers and peak bodies have stepped up efforts to crack down on repeat offenders, called for consistent national crime laws and police responses, and launched awareness campaigns to encourage Australians to be vigilant and report suspicious activity.

“Retail crime is a shared problem that requires a united approach, integrating technology, stronger communication and consistent legal frameworks across retailers, law enforcement and government bodies,” Ms Atto said.

“While retail crime in Australia has escalated in recent years, these collective efforts represent important steps towards addressing the problem.”

ACRS Research & Strategy Director Stephanie Atto from Monash Business School is available to discuss the detailed findings of the new report and for interviews.

Read the Monash Lens article featuring the new report and to access more reports and findings from ACRS, please see: https://www.monash.edu/business/acrs/our-research

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Teju Hari Krishna

Media and Communications Manager, Monash University

M: +61 450 501 248 E: [email protected]