retail security cost UK

UK retail theft costs businesses £1.8 billion annually — and organised retail crime gangs are getting more sophisticated, not less. This complete 2026 guide covers what retail security guards actually do in the UK, their exact legal powers under PACE 1984 Section 24A, what they cannot lawfully do under the Equality Act 2010, real 2026 costs across South Yorkshire and London, the difference between uniformed and plain-clothes loss prevention, and how Pearl Security provides SIA-licensed retail security across Sheffield, Barnsley, Rotherham, Doncaster and Leeds.