Beauty has become an unlikely yet increasingly common target of violent retail crimes.
And the rate of these aggravated crimes has only been increasing, with customer thefts increasing to more than 20.4 million in 2025, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
Unfortunately, these experiences are increasingly commonplace for beauty's shop floor staff.
For every 25 incidents where thieves are targeting beauty products specifically, three of those will include violent and aggressive behaviour, reported crime prevention agency Aurora.
Beauty stores are prime targets for criminals, as they stock items that can easily be stolen and sold for a premium online.
“The customer picked up the candle and threw it at my colleague, and ended up taking another candle on her way out of the store,” a Rituals retail worker in central London confessed to Cosmetics Business in 2024.
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