Family-owned chain Wenzel’s The Bakers has rolled out a new pilot scheme designed to tackle shoplifting and increase staff safety.
The initiative sees shops transitioned from a traditional self-service layout, where customers could browse and select products directly, to a counter-service model where all items are displayed behind the counter and served by employees.
Initially trialled in its Archway and Burnt Oak stores in London, it has been hailed by the bakery business as a success, going from an “extremely high rate of incidents down to zero”.
The move comes as retail theft continues to rise across the UK. According to the Office for National Statistics, more than 530,000 shoplifting offences were recorded in England and Wales in the year to March 2025, a 20% increase on the previous year and the highest level since current recording methods began in 2003. The British Retail Consortium estimates more than 20 million incidents of retail theft occur annually, costing retailers around £2.2bn.
Chairman and founder Peter Wenzel, who recently received the Outstanding Contribution to the Baking Industry award by British Baker for his hands-on approach and unwavering commitment to bakery, said in the 50 years since opening Wenzel’s: “I can honestly say it has never been this bad”.
“We are a family business, and the stories I have heard from staff about the impact of shoplifting on them is heartbreaking. Our staff should not feel vulnerable while simply doing their job,” he said. “Shoplifting is often discussed in financial terms, but the real impact is on people. I deeply feel the responsibility to make sure they feel supported and protected at work.”
Wenzel added he was pleased the trial was proving a success and hopes to expand it to other stores and the wider bakery and retail industries in due course. This forms part of his belief that no business should operate in isolation, and stronger collaboration between local businesses could help communities works together to tackle shared challenges and support thriving high streets.
Several Wenzel’s locations are in the short-term pipeline for the initiative at this stage due to the widespread shoplifting issue. Wenzel’s operates more than 100 stores across London and beyond.
Operations director Ross Robins described the results to far as “extremely encouraging”. “Incidents have reduced, sales have increased and, most importantly, our teams feel safer. Some competitors have already asked about the new set-up with a view to copying elements of it in their own shops.”
Staff in the trial shops agreed that the changes have made a difference.
“Shoplifters have become brazen and can be threatening if they feel challenged,” said one team member. “Since the new arrangements were introduced, it feels like the business has really thought about our safety first. Customers would not notice anything different, but for us there is a real sense of support. We genuinely feel much safer at work.”
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