Belgian government to crack down on shoplifting

In Belgium, retailers who are victims of shoplifting will now be entitled to fixed compensation. The exact amount is not yet clear.

“Encouraging retailers to report incidents”

The Belgian federal government has announced new measures to combat shoplifting. Retailers will be able to receive compensation for the inconvenience involved in dealing with shoplifting. This will be a percentage of the immediate fine which was introduced at the beginning of 2022 and can amount to up to 350 euros. However, the exact percentage has yet to be determined. Retailers will also have the right to ask their customers to open their bags and backpacks.

The new measure is part of a broader package of 89 support measures for small and medium-sized enterprises. “With this measure, we want to encourage retailers to report incidents and offer them compensation for their time and efforts,” said the office of Minister for Small Businesses Eléonore Simonet. In practice, retailers only report incidents in 10% of cases.

Retail federation Comeos considers it a positive measure, while Buurtsuper, the organization of independent supermarkets, is more critical: “Of course, the police have to come to the scene. That’s often where the problem lies,” director Luc Ardies told vrt nws.