Iceland offering £1 reward scheme for customers who report a shoplifter

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/aug/15/iceland-pay-customers-1-report-shoplifter

by daniscross

34 comments

  1. Who would go to all that trouble for £1? Anyone minded to report it would surely be glad to do so for free anyway. Maybe I’m missing something.

  2. Setting aside any other moral issues with having customers report shoplifters, a £1 reward is an absolute fucking joke

  3. Who the fuck in the boardroom came up with this absolute braindead idea?

    It’s not even worth the time stood around trying to find someone and then waiting while they “verify the theft”.

  4. Go to Iceland, shoplift £1 item. Report yourself, earn £1 and pay for the item using the reward money. Infinite money hack.

  5. But if you don’t have an Iceland loyalty card, you get nothing, not even a quid out the till. God they really think we’re peasants don’t they.

  6. What’s stopping me and a friend doing this at every Iceland in the country, each taking it turns to be the thief and the do-gooder, we’ll rake it in.

  7. My local Iceland doesn’t have enough staff to do anything about shoplifters

  8. Do we get a card like saving for Christmas we put shoplifter stamps in all the pounds will add up and will be able to buy a jar of coffee at the end of the year

  9. If I see someone shoplifting from Iceland, I assume they need it far more than I, godspeed to them and their crimes.

  10. Customers are going to be exposed to abuse and violence as a direct result of this. Absolute atrocious idea.

  11. But will Norway dish out a peace prize if I nab a tealeaf?

  12. I’d be reporting my girlfriend and mates every visit 😂

  13. *CEO has lost touch with reality; asks for free labour from public, to fight shoplifting*

    Here’s your title.

  14. Shop a shoplifter is only 3 steps from shop someone who isn’t down with the totalitarian regime.

  15. If I saw someone stealing bread or beans to feed themselves then I didnt see anything.
    People are struggling as it is

  17. Iceland population is less than a town. You think they would already know who the tea leafs are.

  19. You are all missing the point. The idea is not that they will somehow start catching shoplifters, the idea is to get the press involved and to create a sense of being watched by everyone in the store for the shoplifters.

  20. That’s because they are not trying to actually incentivize reports. They are just trying to get shoplifters nervous that MAYBE others will report them

  21. Feels like a psychological play: ‘Everyone is looking for shoplifters to get their quid, so I better not shoplift here.’

  22. Mum’s gone to Iceland to report a shoplifter for pound.

  23. All against shop lifting especially when its of goods to be sold on for a profit. However, if I see someone who looks hungry or a mother stealing baby formula then I didnt see shit.

  24. Why don’t they just use this money to hire proper security staff? Between having to scan your own stuff and this, it’s like we’re the workers rather than customers 

  25. Getting filled in by a shoplifter who sees you grassing, no thanks.

  26. There’s also an offer of 3 for £10. So not a bad deal

  27. £1 reward? Incredible thanks Iceland! Jesus christ lol

  28. Hey Iceland shoppers, would you like a plausibly deniable way to harrass other customers, well we have a scheme for you.

  30. Why? What’s the point? It’s not like the Police are going to bother coming out, reviewing CCTV and actually do their jobs is it?

  31. My local iceland has 1 person manning one of the dozen tills while the second employee stacks shelves in between running back and forth to the next till when the customer queue starts piling up. 

    Now those 2 employees are being asked to verify shoplifts. Can’t believe what modern supermarkets have become. 

  32. I knew of someone caught shoplifting in the Iceland near me, they got caught with food discreetly tucked on their body, and banned from the store and the shopping centre it was in. She complained because it caused distress, so Iceland removed the ban and gave a gift card as an apology.

  33. I’d speak to the shoplifter and say for £2 I won’t report you.

  34. Yeah really going to help a billion pound company for a quid, get the police involved, oh wait they don’t turn up for that.

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