Poundland is investing more money than ever into new security measures after more than £44m of stock was lost last year. 

The bargain retailer, which sells a large proportion of its products for £1 or less, said it had been a particular target of theft and abuse.

In a bid to tackle that issue, Poundland is kitting out staff with anti-theft technology, such as body-worn cameras. Cameras decreased violence against staff by 11% in a trial and reduced shoplifting.

It’s also working more closely with police to crack down on offenders and recruiting more undercover security guards. 

Official figures released in October showed that shoplifting in England and Wales had hit a new 20-year high, with Poundland’s stock shrinkage – which can include theft and shoplighting – up 30% in the past two years. 

Nearly 470,000 offences were logged by police forces in the year to June 2024, up 29% on the previous year.