Convictions for shoplifting in England and Wales have hit an eight-year high, with people in their 40s and 50s making up a growing proportion of those found guilty.
There were 44,701 convictions for a principal offence of shoplifting at criminal courts in the year to June 2025, up 25% from 35,701 in the previous 12 months, according to new figures from the Ministry of Justice.
