ACS is calling on retailers to share their experiences of retail crime over the past 12 months as part of the association’s Crime Survey 2018.

The survey asks retailers to outline the number of incidents of crime they have experienced in their store, including shop theft, robberies and anti-social behavioural incidents. The survey also considers the causes of these crimes and the measures retailers have in place to prevent crime in their stores.

ACS chief executive James Lowman said: "Crime remains one of the biggest problems faced by local shops. Every week we hear about violence and threats to the safety of retailers and staff, theft that hits profits and drives some stores to the edge of viability, and robberies that bring massive losses and disruption.

"Our crime survey gives us powerful information to make the best case we can for retailers to get the support they need from government and the police. The results of the survey are shared directly with ministers and senior police officers and we need robust information to make the strongest case possible, so I urge every retailer to share their experiences of crime in their stores."

The survey can be found here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ACSCRIME2018. The deadline for responses is 21st December 2017.

The results will be feature in ACS’ Crime Report 2018 which will be launched in March.