Iceland food: supermarket offers customers £1 reward for reporting shoplifters, helping lower prices
Spot a thief while you shop and earn rewards 💷
- Iceland will pay shoppers £1 for reporting shoplifters, credited to their bonus card
- The supermarket loses around £20 million annually to theft, affecting prices and staff pay
- Richard Walker says shoplifting is not a ‘victimless crime’ and impacts store safety
- Police figures show shoplifting in England and Wales reached a record high in 2025
- The scheme aims to engage customers in reducing theft and keeping shopping affordable
Shoppers could soon be earning financial rewards simply by keeping an eye out for shoplifters, as a major supermarket chain launches a new initiative to tackle rising theft in its stores.
Iceland has announced it will pay customers £1 for every shoplifter they spot and report to staff, with payments added directly to their Iceland bonus card.
The move comes as shoplifting costs Iceland an estimated £20 million each year, a figure the company says affects its ability to lower prices and reward employees.
Richard Walker, Iceland’s executive chairman, emphasised that theft is far from a “victimless crime”.
“It’s not just about lost stock,” Walker told Channel Five news. “Shoplifting affects the hours we can pay our colleagues, it contributes to intimidation in our stores, and ultimately it keeps prices higher for everyone.”
The scheme comes against the backdrop of a wider surge in retail crime. Walker said that by involving shoppers, Iceland hopes to reduce these losses while keeping prices down.
“We’d like customers to help us lower our prices even more by pointing out shoplifters,” he added.
Official figures show that shoplifting offences recorded by police in England and Wales reached a record 530,643 in the year to March 2025, up 20% from 444,022 the previous year, the highest total since records began in 2002-03.
Retail leaders have warned that the rise in theft is putting pressure on businesses and local communities.
James Lowman, chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores, said that while more crimes are being reported, many retailers still feel incidents are not adequately investigated, leaving shops vulnerable.
For Iceland, the new rewards programme is as much about engaging customers as it is about preventing theft. By turning shoppers into “extra eyes” on the shop floor, the supermarket hopes to create safer, more affordable shopping experiences for everyone.
While £1 per tip might seem small, Iceland stresses that even minor contributions from customers could add up to significant savings across its stores, helping to offset the £20 million annual cost of theft.
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