REIGATE, ENGLAND - A new study by G4S Secure Solutions revealed that nearly one in 10 retail employees in England have committed a crime against their employer in the past 12 months, The Retail Bulletin reports.

The most common crime was consuming produce without paying for it, with more than 160,000 workers stealing food. More than 56,000 retail employees admitted to outright theft from their employer, removing items from a store in which they worked without paying for them.

The study found that vehicle loading areas proved an attractive target for employees seeking to steal products from their workplace, and that more than 28,000 employees stole goods when in transit to a shop or between a storage area and the shop floor. Additionally, diverting goods before they reached store shelves was a "major problem" for retailers.

The study revealed that 50,000 retail workers expressed a sense of entitlement as justification for their crimes, claiming, "They felt they worked so hard for the company that they deserved it."

"With large numbers of employees, relatively high staff turnover, and a reliance on casual and temporary workers, it is difficult for retailers to effectively screen and vet all those working in their stores," said Douglas Greenwell, sales & marketing director at G4S. "Unfortunately, this has resulted in a number of unscrupulous individuals being employed that are happy to take advantage of their employer. By screening employees wherever possible and employing sophisticated security solutions, not merely focused on areas frequented by customers, retailers can mitigate against the threat from within and minimizes losses from employee shrinkage."