1 in 10 young Brits admit shoplifting due to cost of living crisis: Study

As the crisis worsens, one in five Britishers has coped to financial aid to pay for his/her essentials.

In a shocking revelation, one in 10 young adults in the UK has admitted to steal products from supermarkets to tackle the cost-of-living crisis, according to a study by money-saving app ZipZero, The Metro reports.

As the crisis worsens, one in five Britishers has coped to financial aid to pay for his/her essentials. (Representative image)

In UK, inflation has remained in the double digits for months (the latest figure was a gruelling 10.4%), keeping the food and fuel costs skyrocketing-high, the report added.

As the crisis worsens, one in five Britishers has coped to financial aid to pay for his/her essentials. Of the 2,000 adults surveyed, 8% said they go into their overdrafts or borrow money from friends or family to cover groceries. Around 5% started to use food banks.

At self-checkouts, one in 25 adults admit to intentionally missing out or incorrectly scanning goods they can't afford, the report added.

"Families struggling under the burden of higher price tags have seen the cost of food and non-alcoholic drinks rise by 19.1%; some have doubled in a year. Imported food rose by a quarter in the last year", according to the data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Food, fuel, rent, broadband, taxes and soon interest rates (expected for the 12th time) have all risen in recent months in UK, exacerbated by sluggish economic growth and slow wage growth.

A 2022 study by the Centre for Retail Research found that shoplifting cost the British economy 660 million pounds in 2021-22.