Retail Security Trends 2025: What Guards Must Know About Tech & Threats

Retail crime is evolving rapidly and so must the guards who protect stores. Here's how retail security is changing in 2025 and what you need to prepare for.

🔍 Trending Changes to Watch

• Organised Retail Crime (ORC) is now responsible for a huge share of shoplifting incidents—often involving gangs coordinating theft across multiple stores.

• Deployment of AI‑powered CCTV systems rose by 35% across UK commercial sectors between 2022–2024. These systems analyse behaviour in real-time, flag risks, and reduce response times.

• Retail violence and abuse escalated to over 2,000 incidents per day, with over 20 million thefts recorded in 2023–24, costing £2.2 billion

🧠 What That Means for Security Guards

• You need to understand how AI alerts work, how to respond accurately, and how to coordinate with on-site teams and tech systems.

• You must stay alert to structured ORC tactics, not just lone shoplifters.

• Training must include conflict de-escalation, surveillance awareness, and real-time incident reporting.

🛡 How SWBM Academy Prepares You

• Hands-on drills using CCTV footage and AI-generated scenarios

• Training against organised theft methods and threat recognition

• Practice in working with digital alert systems and security infrastructure

• Emphasis on de-escalation, communication, and legal documentation