Americans Are Stealing Groceries, And A New Survey Reveals Why

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Grocery shopping has become more than a routine errand for many Americans. Between rising food prices, rent, utilities, and other household expenses, some shoppers are making increasingly difficult financial decisions. A new survey suggests that, for some consumers, those pressures are driving shoplifting.

A July 2026 report from personal finance company LendingTree found that 30% of Americans surveyed admitted to shoplifting at some point in their lives. Among respondents who said they had stolen in the past year, 90% cited inflation and broader economic conditions as contributing factors. Food and nonalcoholic beverages were the most commonly reported stolen products, raising uncomfortable questions about affordability, retail security, and financial hardship.

Nearly One in Three Americans Surveyed Admitted to Shoplifting

At the Supermarket: Handsome Man with Smartphone, Pushes Shopping Cart, Walks Through Fresh Produce Section of the Store, Chooses Some Products. Other Customers Purchasing Products. — Image Credit: 123RF Photos

The findings come from an online survey commissioned by LendingTree and conducted by QuestionPro between June 2 and June 11, 2026. Researchers surveyed 2,000 U.S. adults ages 18 to 80.

The report found that 30% acknowledged shoplifting at least once, up from 23% in LendingTree’s 2024 survey.

Among respondents who admitted to shoplifting, 37% said they had done so in the past year. That was up from 23% in the earlier survey.

However, the distinction matters. The figures do not establish that 30% of Americans currently steal from stores. They include respondents describing incidents that may have happened years earlier.

The research also relied on self-reported behavior from a nonprobability online sample rather than verified police records. Consequently, it cannot independently establish nationwide shoplifting rates or prove that retail theft increased by the same amount.

Nevertheless, the responses offer insight into why some consumers say they steal.

Why 90% of Recent Shoplifters Blame the Economy

Perhaps the most striking finding concerns the motivations behind shoplifting.

Among respondents who reported stealing in the past year, 90% said inflation and broader economic conditions influenced their decisions.

When researchers examined specific motivations among all respondents who admitted to shoplifting, 28% mentioned financial struggles, 19% said merchandise had become too expensive, and 17% reported stealing to make ends meet.

Another 17% said they shoplifted to save money.

LendingTree chief consumer finance analyst Matt Schulz suggested the findings reflect significant affordability concerns.

“These findings are concerning because they suggest many people aren’t shoplifting for thrills or resale, but because they feel squeezed by basic affordability challenges,” Schulz said in the report.

Importantly, economic pressure was a reported contributing factor, not necessarily the only reason behind each incident.

The findings don’t show that everyone who stole groceries was hungry or couldn’t afford food.

Food Is the Most Commonly Reported Stolen Product

One of the survey’s most revealing findings concerns what respondents admitted taking.

Products reported stolen by respondents who admitted shoplifting

0%8%16%24%32%Food and drinks Clothing and accessories Personal hygiene products

Source: LendingTree, July 2026. Multiple categories could be reported.

Food and nonalcoholic drinks topped the list, reported by 30% of respondents who acknowledged shoplifting.

Clothing, accessories, and jewelry followed at 25%, while personal hygiene products accounted for 20%.

The prominence of everyday essentials helps explain why the findings attracted attention.

Unlike luxury goods, households cannot simply eliminate groceries from their budgets.

Families need food every week, even if other expenses have increased.

However, the survey did not identify the precise grocery products most frequently stolen, nor did it establish the value of the merchandise taken.

That makes it important not to assume all reported food theft involved essential meals rather than snacks or other products.

Grocery Stores Are the Most Commonly Reported Location

Grocery stores also led as the most commonly reported location for self-reported shoplifting.

According to LendingTree, 39% of respondents who admitted to shoplifting said they stole from grocery stores.

Dollar stores followed at 28%, while department stores accounted for 25%.

These findings highlight how retail theft extends beyond expensive electronics and designer merchandise.

Large stores selling groceries, cleaning supplies, toiletries, and other everyday products are part of the picture.

The survey also found that respondents were slightly more likely to report stealing from chain retailers than from independently operated businesses.

However, the researchers did not establish that grocery stores experience more theft overall than every other retail category.

Their results describe survey participants’ experiences, not a comprehensive national inventory of stolen merchandise.

Grocery Prices Remain a Financial Challenge

Recent federal statistics help explain why affordability remains a major concern.

According to the USDA’s October 23, 2026, Food Price Outlook, grocery prices were 1.8% higher in September 2026 than in September 2025.

Overall food prices increased 2.5% during the same period, while restaurant prices rose 3.5%.

The USDA also projected that average grocery prices would increase 2.3% across 2026.

Those annual figures may seem modest compared with the sharper food price increases earlier in the decade.

But slowing inflation doesn’t mean prices have returned to their previous levels.

A household paying more for housing, insurance, transportation, and utilities may still struggle to cover groceries even when food prices rise more slowly.

The USDA’s food insecurity report offers additional perspective.

In 2024, approximately 13.7% of American households experienced food insecurity at some point during the year, meaning they had difficulty consistently accessing adequate food because of limited resources.

Food insecurity and shoplifting are not the same, and the two datasets do not show a direct causal relationship.

They do, however, illustrate why affordable access to everyday necessities remains an important national issue.

Younger Americans Report Higher Lifetime Shoplifting Rates

The LendingTree report also identified differences between age groups.

Among surveyed Generation Z adults ages 18 to 29, 39% said they had shoplifted at some point.

The corresponding figure was 38% for millennials, compared with 24% for Generation X and 18% for baby boomers.

These numbers should not be interpreted as proof that younger Americans are currently committing more theft than older generations.

They describe whether participants reported ever shoplifting, not necessarily recent incidents.

The survey also found that reported theft wasn’t limited to low-income households.

In fact, respondents from several income groups acknowledged shoplifting, demonstrating that financial hardship alone cannot explain every incident.

Some people cited earlier behavior from their youth, while others described motives unrelated to immediate financial need.

The Consequences Can Make Financial Problems Worse

Although some respondents described shoplifting as a way to manage financial pressure, the legal consequences can create additional difficulties.

Depending on state law and the circumstances, retail theft can result in warnings, fines, store bans, arrest, or criminal charges.

LendingTree found that 52% of respondents who admitted shoplifting said they had never been caught.

Among those who were caught, 38% reported receiving a warning, while 27% said they were arrested.

Retailers also face costs associated with lost merchandise, security systems, and theft prevention.

Those costs can be especially challenging for smaller businesses operating on limited margins.

The survey found that 61% of consumers supported stricter consequences for retail theft, even as many acknowledged the influence of economic pressures.

The findings suggest Americans can recognize financial hardship while still believing theft should carry consequences.

What Struggling Families Can Do Instead

For households struggling to afford groceries, several resources may help.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides eligible households with benefits for purchasing qualifying groceries.

Local food banks, community pantries, and school meal programs may offer additional support.

Consumers can also potentially reduce costs by comparing unit prices, purchasing store brands, planning meals around discounts, and avoiding unnecessary food waste.

These strategies won’t eliminate every financial difficulty, especially for households facing significant income shortages.

But they may provide immediate relief without the legal risks associated with shoplifting.