UK is top for shoplifting - study

Items most often stolen include razors and alcohol, the study said

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- British shops lose around £4 billion ($6 billion) a year through shoplifting -- more than any other country in Europe, according to a new study.

The survey by the UK-based Centre for Retail Research found that European retailers had caught more than 1 million shoplifters last year.

Professor Joshua Bamfield, who led the research, explained why the UK had the most shoplifting cases.

"When I looked into (the results) further, I found that the UK were spending less on security than its counterparts overseas," he told CNN.

Another reason: "More drug addicts are here in the UK," said Bamfield. Such individuals shoplift to fund their addiction, according to a 1998 UK Government study.

He also said British retailers have difficulty convincing product manufacturers that more security measures need to be taken, such as electronic tagging of all goods.

Alcohol, shaving razors, cosmetics and clothing were the items most often stolen.

Most stolen goods are sold on the black market, according to the stury.

"Retail crime is now (increasingly) related to organised crime," Bamfield said.

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