Poll estimates 2.4 million Aussies resorting to theft over financial woes amid cost-of-living crisis
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You’re in the supermarket with your shopping basket, and the item you’re about to buy is on the higher end of the price spectrum.
Ever so slyly you eye the item up and down, before you make the fateful decision—save or splurge?
The cost of living sure isn’t getting any cheaper, no matter the choice. But, perhaps some Aussie shoppers have resorted to a much more extreme way to reduce their grocery bills, new research from comparison website Finder shows.
New data suggests that a growing number of Australians have turned to petty theft just to get by.
Finder surveyed over 1,000 people and found that 12 per cent confessed to stealing basic necessities like food, fuel, and other retail items in the past year due to financial stress.
This figure equates to a staggering 2.4 million people in Australia engaging in unlawful behaviour to afford basics.
The study showed that five per cent of Australians had stolen items at the self-checkout of supermarkets, while four per cent lied about what they scanned—for example, shoppers indicated the machine was weighing onions rather than avocados.
Furthermore, 4 per cent of Aussies have driven away from the bowser without paying for their fuel, while two per cent had left a restaurant or a cafe without paying.
The younger generation, referred to as Gen Z, who comprised 24 per cent of the total number of participants in the study, was found to be more likely to obtain goods like food and fuel unlawfully.
Twelve per cent of Gen Z respondents reported leaving the supermarket without paying for the items, while only 3 per cent of the next older generation (Gen X) reported doing so.
For many families, this increasing financial strain seems to have pushed them towards extreme measures, according to Graham Cooke, Head of Consumer Research at Finder.
'Money pressure is escalating with a rising number of households in survival mode,' Mr Cooke said.
'Both Woolies and Coles mentioned a rise in shoplifting during their recent profit announcements.'
'Aussies are clearly struggling to afford basic necessities and some are turning to criminal behaviour to get by.'
'This, combined with the widespread use of self-checkouts, has resulted in opportunistic shoppers leaving with more in their bags than they paid for.'
Mr Cooke has also encouraged households to identify where they can save money.
'Groceries, fuel, electricity, insurance, mortgages and rents have all gone up. But simple switches could save you hundreds of dollars a year.'
He urged Aussies struggling to afford food to access food banks such as SecondBite and OzHarvest.
'As tempting as it may be, a basket discount is not worth the cost of a potential criminal record,' Mr Cooke added.
'Having said that, with FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) profits up dramatically, it would be understandable for consumers to expect their retailers to do more to help them get through the cost of living crisis.'
In similar news, the high cost of housing is a huge part of the issue of the cost of living crisis in Australia, with record-breaking interest rates for homeowners and a tight market for renters.
In the past 18 months, the Reserve Bank of Australia lifted the cash rate 12 times higher. Interest rates soared from 0.10 to 4.10 in less than two years.
Renters, on the other hand, had to pay an average of $551 per week for a home. For example, according to PropTrack, rents in Sydney have increased by 18 per cent in the past year.
Unfortunately, this is only the beginning. Financial expert Sarah Megginson said the worst is yet to come to many Australian households.
You can read more about this news here.
Members, what are your thoughts on this story? Have you heard of a rise in cases of petty theft in your area? Let us know in the comments below!
Ever so slyly you eye the item up and down, before you make the fateful decision—save or splurge?
The cost of living sure isn’t getting any cheaper, no matter the choice. But, perhaps some Aussie shoppers have resorted to a much more extreme way to reduce their grocery bills, new research from comparison website Finder shows.
New data suggests that a growing number of Australians have turned to petty theft just to get by.
Finder surveyed over 1,000 people and found that 12 per cent confessed to stealing basic necessities like food, fuel, and other retail items in the past year due to financial stress.
This figure equates to a staggering 2.4 million people in Australia engaging in unlawful behaviour to afford basics.
Research suggests that 12 per cent or around 2.4 million Australians engage in unlawful behaviour just to afford basics. Image source: pch.vector on Freepik.
The study showed that five per cent of Australians had stolen items at the self-checkout of supermarkets, while four per cent lied about what they scanned—for example, shoppers indicated the machine was weighing onions rather than avocados.
Furthermore, 4 per cent of Aussies have driven away from the bowser without paying for their fuel, while two per cent had left a restaurant or a cafe without paying.
The younger generation, referred to as Gen Z, who comprised 24 per cent of the total number of participants in the study, was found to be more likely to obtain goods like food and fuel unlawfully.
Twelve per cent of Gen Z respondents reported leaving the supermarket without paying for the items, while only 3 per cent of the next older generation (Gen X) reported doing so.
Four per cent of Aussies have reported driving away from the bowser without paying. Image source: Freepik.
For many families, this increasing financial strain seems to have pushed them towards extreme measures, according to Graham Cooke, Head of Consumer Research at Finder.
'Money pressure is escalating with a rising number of households in survival mode,' Mr Cooke said.
'Both Woolies and Coles mentioned a rise in shoplifting during their recent profit announcements.'
'Aussies are clearly struggling to afford basic necessities and some are turning to criminal behaviour to get by.'
'This, combined with the widespread use of self-checkouts, has resulted in opportunistic shoppers leaving with more in their bags than they paid for.'
Mr Cooke has also encouraged households to identify where they can save money.
'Groceries, fuel, electricity, insurance, mortgages and rents have all gone up. But simple switches could save you hundreds of dollars a year.'
He urged Aussies struggling to afford food to access food banks such as SecondBite and OzHarvest.
'As tempting as it may be, a basket discount is not worth the cost of a potential criminal record,' Mr Cooke added.
'Having said that, with FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) profits up dramatically, it would be understandable for consumers to expect their retailers to do more to help them get through the cost of living crisis.'
In similar news, the high cost of housing is a huge part of the issue of the cost of living crisis in Australia, with record-breaking interest rates for homeowners and a tight market for renters.
In the past 18 months, the Reserve Bank of Australia lifted the cash rate 12 times higher. Interest rates soared from 0.10 to 4.10 in less than two years.
Renters, on the other hand, had to pay an average of $551 per week for a home. For example, according to PropTrack, rents in Sydney have increased by 18 per cent in the past year.
Unfortunately, this is only the beginning. Financial expert Sarah Megginson said the worst is yet to come to many Australian households.
You can read more about this news here.
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