Employee theft, shoplifting/organized retail crime and administrative error are the main sources of loss affecting retailers, according to an annual survey conducted by the University of Florida with a funding grant from Tyco Integrated Security and Tyco Retail Solutions.
The 2011 National Retail Security Survey found that retail shrinkage in 2011 was 1.42 percent, down from 1.49 percent from the previous findings in 2010. This calculates to an approximate $35.28 billion annual loss to retailers as a direct consequence of preventable inventory issues, with 44.2 percent attributed to employee theft, 25.8 percent to shoplifting and organized retail crime and 12.1 percent to administrative error.