Garden centres in the UK are facing a costly crisis as shoplifting rises across the horticulture industry, with the Horticultural Trades Association estimating that Britain’s 1500 centres lose £16 million a year to theft. Thefts are now commonplace, negatively impacting both the bottom line and retail staff.
Targets and tactics
Seed packets are the most commonly swiped items, followed by secateurs and hand tools. High-value lifestyle products, such as gifts, are also vulnerable, with soft toys notably at risk. Large items like olive trees and Kamado BBQs have also been taken. One centre in County Durham reported a single day’s theft worth £800, while Tates of Sussex alleged a group ran off with more than £2000 in goods on two separate occasions.
Organised crime groups are increasingly targeting garden retailers. Blue Diamond, the largest garden centre group in the UK operating in 55 destinations, has noted a rise in thefts linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, which closed high street shops and diverted opportunistic thieves to garden centres where products could easily be resold. The cost of living crisis has also played a role, though Nathan Wilson, Head of Group Security & Total Loss at Blue Diamond, suggests the stolen items are not everyday necessities.
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According to Joe Wilkinson of Garden Centre Retail, economic pressure is a major factor driving the rise in shrinkage. Garden centres with expansive outdoor areas, multiple entry points, and high-traffic seasonal zones create opportunities for stock to be removed unnoticed. The theft profile is diverse, spanning opportunistic pilfering and entrepreneurial shoplifters who come with a shopping list to steal branded products for online forums.
Who is stealing?
Nathan Wilson categorises the criminals into four groups. The opportunistic thieves are predominantly older adults aged 60 to 80 who take seeds and candles. The entrepreneurial shoplifter seeks branded products to resell, while the career thief targets specific items and moves quickly. A recent case involved a prolific shoplifter who stole £7,100 over six visits while wearing an ankle tag. Finally, organised crime groups work with police intelligence units like Operation Opal to track illicit activities across the country.
Owners are increasingly taking matters into their own hands after reporting what Peter Burks, Chief Executive of The Garden Centre Association, describes as constant reports of theft. Over the last 18 months, Blue Diamond has spent over £1 million upgrading its CCTV to a centrally managed HikVision system. The company has also installed facial recognition and automatic number plate recognition. These measures have reduced overall shrinkage by nearly half, dropping from 47 per cent to a lower figure, and have led to 184 incidents being reported to the police.
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The physical layout of garden centres often works against them. Sprawling sites that are out of view of staff make them good targets for thieves. Staff training is another key component of the defence, with the Garden Centre Association recommending that owners avoid ‘red routes’ and train employees in de-escalation tactics. Electronic Article Surveillance tags are also used to deter theft, though Wilson notes that professionals will often remove these devices.
Safety and surveillance
While the industry grapples with the financial hit, the investment in security is reshaping the shopping experience. Garden centres are becoming areas of high surveillance, with technology that tracks customers from the moment they enter the parking lot. This shift has made centres safer places to work and shop, resulting in a reduction of both theft and violent incidents. The strategy appears to be working, though the price tag for these security upgrades continues to grow for the independent businesses trying to protect their stock.
