Nearly 1 in 3 Americans Say They Have Shoplifted This Year as Inflation Strains Budgets, Survey Finds

A man shops at a supermarket in Montebello, California on September 29, 2017,Data released from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health showed Los Angeles County has the largest food insecure population in the country, with more than half a million households earning incomes that are below 300 percent of poverty. / (Credit: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images))

Nearly one in three Americans say they have shoplifted this year, with most citing financial pressures linked to inflation and the rising cost of living, according to a new LendingTree survey.

The study, based on responses from 2,000 adults surveyed in early June, found that 30% of respondents admitted to shoplifting in 2026, up from 24% who said the same in 2024. About 90% of those who acknowledged stealing said affordability concerns and broader economic conditions were among the reasons behind their actions.