Retailers are being warned to be vigilant towards the increased risk of shoplifting over the Christmas period.
Business group ISME said shops are far more likely to be targeted by shoplifters or organised groups during December, with the majority of retailers reporting incidents at this time of year.
ISME said its research suggested that €54m would be lost to such types of crime in the six week period starting in mid-November of this year, up 5% on the same period of 2013.
It recommends that retailers undertake good store management, strong checks on stock levels and adequate security measures in order to reduce the likelihood that they will fall victim to theft.
ISME also recommends businesses stay in regular contact with the Garda Crime Prevention Office.
Separately, the business group’s Credit Watch Survey has shown that SMEs wait an average of 60 days to be paid by bigger businesses and Government agencies.
Nearly a quarter of those surveyed were waiting an average of 90 days to receive payments.
ISME said that only a handful of companies charged interest on late payments, and called for the introduction of a statutory 30 day limit on payments in order to resolve the situation.
