Report Summary
The Scottish Police Authority is hosting a series of knowledge exchange events over 2025/26, including webinars and in-person roundtables/conferences, covering a range of thematic and topical policing issues.
This is the Authority's second topical webinar held on 10th October 2025 on the theme of retail crime. This webinar looked at what we know about retail crime in terms of both current data trends and its strategic positioning within the partnership landscape. While the focus was primarily on Scotland, attendees also explored common academic research and retail crime themes across England and Wales.
Introduction
The Scottish Police Authority is hosting a series of knowledge exchange events over 2025/26, including webinars and in-person roundtables/conferences, covering a range of thematic and topical policing issues.
The second in our series, this webinar looked at what we know about retail crime in terms of both current data trends and its strategic positioning within the partnership landscape. While the focus was primarily on Scotland, attendees also explored common academic research and retail crime themes across England and Wales.
The webinar also explored the work of Police Scotland’s Retail Crime Task Force looking specifically at what the Task Force has achieved to date, along with insights on consumer behaviours in a changing commercial landscape (e.g. increased use of online shopping platforms). The webinar benefited from the attendance of subject matter expert partners and stakeholders who supported and developed discussions to allow an informed exchange for the benefit of all.