Every year the Center for Retail Research provides a Christmas estimate of retail’s likely losses from retail crime in the Christmas season. We define Christmas as the six week period from mid-November to the end of December.

Most honest customers are shopping for gifts for others and food and drink for their families. Average Christmas crime losses in the US are expected to be $8,852 million and in Europe as a whole (18 countries) $7,450 million.

The Most Stolen Product Categories This Christmas are Expected to Be:

• Toys, particularly versions of old toys like Cabbage Patch Kids, Lego, Furby, Twister, and My Moshie Home plus children’s electronics like LeapPad 2 tablet computers.
• Alcohol, including whiskey (both generic and specialist/single malt), vodka, brandy, red bull, rum-based products and tinned products.
  Women’s clothing and fashion accessories
• Perfume, and health and beauty including gift packs.
• Smartphones, tablet computers, toiletries for men, aftershave, razors, razor blades.
• DVD gift sets, Blu-Ray, blockbuster films, games consoles, electronic games.
• Food and festivities, meat, cheese, salmon, tinned foods, exotic foods and Christmas decorations.
• Electrical goods, including health and beauty (eg electronic toothbrushes and medical equipment) and hardware/DIY including power drills.
• Watches and jewelry.
• Chocolates and confectionery

U.S. Retail Crime Losses in the Holiday Season:

The U.S., as the largest economy, suffers the highest losses in the holiday season. But it also suffers the highest incidence of retail theft. Retail crime at Christmas costs U.S. retailers $8,852 million, a rise of 4.4 percent compared to last year’s $8,480 million. The cost per family in the U.S. will be $98.49.

• U.S. Holiday Crime 2012 (in U.S.$)
• Shoplifting: $3,757.5 million
• Employee theft: $4,652.5 million
• Supply chain fraud: $442.0 million
• Total crime: $8,852.0 million