Chocolate theft epidemic: Sweet treats being stolen in UK to order for illicit markets

Supermarkets across London are locking chocolate bars in anti-theft boxes. The move follows a surge in shoplifting driven by organised criminal gangs.

The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) reported that the prolific offenders target sweet treats, including £2.60 Cadbury Dairy Milk bars, who steal them to order.

The stolen treats are then resold on illicit markets, funding wider criminal activity.

To cope with the theft incidents, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Co-op have introduced transparent plastic boxes that can only be accessed with the assistance of staff.

The Heart of England Co-Op group reported that chocolate theft cost it around £250,000, making it the second most stolen item after alcohol in 2025.

In a recently shared footage by Wiltshire Police, a man was seen dragging an entire shelving stand of chocolate out of a shop door. In a separate incident, Cambridgeshire Police arrested an individual with a coat stuffed with Cadbury’s Creme Eggs.

Across the country, the British Retail Consortium reported 5.5 million recorded incidents of shoplifting, as well as 1,600 violent incidents against retail workers on a daily basis.

The ACS is urging the government to increase police support and toughen up sentences. The National Police Chiefs’ Council stated that their Retail Crime Strategy is helping to build intelligence and bring offenders to justice.