The Centre for Retail Research’s Global Retail Theft Barometer for 2011 (GRTB 2011) report surveyed more than 4,500 retail corporations in 43 countries found employee theft to be the greatest shrinkage problem in North and Latin America. Shrink or unaccounted for merchandise in a store’s inventory is higher (almost 7%) worldwide according to the Theft Barometer Report. Employee theft accounted for 35% percent of shrinkage with dishonest employees being the largest source. The report also found that when employees steal they steal close to five times the amount stolen by customers. Most shrink occurs in cosmetics and beauty supply, clothing, and auto parts and building materials industries, respectively.
