While retailers are managing to reduce opportunistic theft, there is a hardcore of determined criminals who still remain a problem.
Richard Dodd, a spokesman for the British Retail Consortium (BRC), said this explains why instances of theft have fallen while the value of goods stolen has increased.
Figures from the group show that investment in crime prevention has resulted in an 11 per cent drop in retail crime levels, with shoplifting down 10.6 per cent in the financial year 2009-10 compared to the previous year.
However, the average value of goods stolen in each incident has increased from £45 to £70.
Mr Dodd said retailers have been spending much more on CCTV and security guards in recent years, and have been taking measures such as tagging products in an effort to tackle shoplifting.
This has enabled them to deter "a whole swath" of opportunist thieves. However, this has left the "hardcore" of more systematic criminals who tend to go for higher-level goods.
Fraud, burglary and employee theft were found to be the most costly forms of retail crime after shoplifting in the BRC survey.
Businesses can protect themselves from some of these activities by taking out comprehensive shop insurance policies.
