€4 billion increase in social benefits over the past year – DW – 08/03/2025

Retailers in Germany experienced losses totaling €3 billion ($3.5 billion) due to shoplifting in 2024, which represents a 20% increase from the losses incurred in 2022, as reported by the German Trade association (HDE), the representative body for the retail sector in Germany.
Stefan Genth, the managing director of HDE, speaking to the t-online website highlighted the growing menace of highly organized criminal groups.
“Groups of offenders are roaming through city centers, stealing high-value items such as perfumes, shoes, electronic goods, and selling them on the black market,” Genth stated.
He also indicated an uptick in aggressive individual offenders who confront store employees when caught.
Genth further revealed that almost all incidents of theft remained unreported.
“Retailers file complaints with the police, only to have the cases dismissed by prosecutors due to concerns over efficiency. This results in widespread dissatisfaction among retailers who choose not to report thefts to the police,” he explained, noting that “as a result, the majority of shoplifting cases—98%—go unrecorded.”
Genth advocated for legislative reforms, increased security investments, and expanded judicial authority.
Additionally, he stated that so far, no link has been found between the growing number of self-service checkouts and the increasing rate of shoplifting by his association.