A new LendingTree survey suggests financial stress is changing consumer behavior, but experts warn the findings should be viewed alongside broader crime and retail data.
A new national survey suggests America’s affordability crisis may be changing consumer behavior in troubling ways.
According to a 2026 survey commissioned by LendingTree, 30% of Americans say they have shoplifted at some point in their lives, up from 23% who reported doing so in a similar survey conducted two years earlier. The findings come as many households continue struggling with high prices for groceries, housing, insurance, and other everyday expenses.
The results do not necessarily indicate that shoplifting nationwide has increased by the same amount. Instead, they reflect self-reported responses from 2,000 adults surveyed online. Even so, the study offers another sign that financial stress continues affecting consumer decisions in ways that extend beyond household budgets.
What the survey found
Among the study’s findings:
- About 3 in 10 Americans say they have shoplifted.
- Many respondents who admitted stealing said inflation and the economy played a significant role.
- Younger adults were more likely than older generations to report shoplifting.
- Some respondents said they stole necessities, while others admitted taking non-essential items.
LendingTree Chief Credit Analyst Matt Schulz said the findings suggest economic pressure remains an important factor.
“Some of the instances were young people being reckless… but that’s not the whole story,” Schulz said, adding that financial stress is likely contributing to theft for some Americans.
Inflation alone doesn’t explain retail theft
The survey should be interpreted carefully.
Retail theft is influenced by many factors, including:
- organized retail crime
- economic hardship
- opportunity created by self-checkout systems
- staffing shortages
- local enforcement policies
- substance abuse and mental health issues
- repeat offenders
Researchers and retail organizations have cautioned against attributing all shoplifting to any single cause. Different data sources often produce different estimates because they measure different types of theft and reporting practices.
California remains at the center of the debate
California has become one of the nation’s focal points in discussions about retail theft.
Los Angeles has experienced higher reported shoplifting rates than before the pandemic, according to analyses by the Council on Criminal Justice. Retailers have responded by:
- locking more merchandise behind glass
- expanding surveillance technology
- hiring additional security
- reducing self-checkout lanes in some stores
- changing store layouts to reduce losses
These changes affect every shopper, often leading to longer wait times and reduced convenience.
Why this matters for Latino families
Many Latino households in California continue facing higher-than-average housing costs while also spending a larger share of their income on essentials like food, gasoline, and utilities.
For families already balancing tight budgets, rising prices can create difficult financial decisions.
At the same time, neighborhoods with frequent retail theft may experience:
- fewer grocery and pharmacy options
- higher prices as stores try to offset losses
- reduced business investment
- store closures
- fewer local jobs
That means retail theft affects entire communities—not just retailers.
Retailers face a difficult balancing act
Retailers across the country say shoplifting has become both a financial and employee safety issue.
Industry groups report increases in organized retail crime and violent theft incidents, prompting stores to invest heavily in security measures. Those costs are often passed along through higher prices or operational changes.
The survey has limitations
The LendingTree findings provide insight into consumer attitudes, but they are not official crime statistics.
The survey:
- questioned 2,000 adults online
- relied on self-reported answers
- used a nonprobability sample
- should not be interpreted as measuring actual national crime rates
Official crime reports, retailer data, and independent research remain essential for understanding long-term retail theft trends.
What can struggling families do instead?
Financial counselors recommend several alternatives before turning to desperate measures:
- Contact local food banks and community pantries.
- Ask utility companies about hardship assistance.
- Apply for CalFresh or other eligible public benefits.
- Seek nonprofit credit counseling if debt has become overwhelming.
- Talk with creditors before missing payments.
Many community organizations throughout Los Angeles and California offer emergency assistance for food, rent, utilities, and debt counseling.
The bigger picture
The LendingTree survey raises an uncomfortable question: Is shoplifting becoming another symptom of America’s affordability crisis?
The answer is likely more complicated than a simple yes or no.
Financial hardship appears to be influencing some people’s behavior, but inflation is only one part of a broader retail theft problem that also includes organized crime, security challenges, and changing shopping technology.
For California policymakers, retailers, and community leaders, the challenge is finding solutions that reduce theft while also addressing the economic pressures many families continue to face.
