Overview
- Sainsbury's put up in‑store notices that call egg swapping theft and say CCTV of offenders will go to police for prosecution.
- The move follows customer reports of premium eggs being placed in cheaper cartons, with shoppers finding swapped eggs at home.
- Egg prices have climbed since 2022, widening the gap between premium and budget boxes and making swaps more tempting to thieves.
- Official figures show recorded shoplifting in England and Wales rose 133% from 2020/21 to 2024/25, yet only about one in five cases led to a charge, with the Met near 6.5%.
- Retailers say they are adding guards and new controls, with Costa hiring security at some sites and Asda testing vending for high‑theft items, while industry groups back a Crime and Policing Bill to protect staff and remove the £200 theft threshold.