February 2012
Featured in this insight: Culture, heritage & leisure, Police, crime & community safety
Market research shows anti-social behaviour costing Britain billions: According to a study by RSA, the UK’s largest insurer, yob culture is costing the country an alarming fortune – last year alone, anti-social behaviour resulted in business losses of £9.8bn.
Nearly one in five businesses were affected by criminal activity last year. Incidents included petty theft plus broken windows and doors as the most common problems (half of all the businesses surveyed had experienced this), followed by graffiti, littering and intimidation or harassment.
In 2012, 37% of the businesses who took part in the study expect yob culture to increase as a result of ongoing economic volatility. Furthermore, employers predict it will cost them more year-on-year, suggesting that Britain's yob culture is a growing problem.
The research also revealed large differences in the business sectors that are targeted for criminal activity. During 2011, the worst affected were the construction (£66,000 per business) and transport (£53,000 per business) industries. This year, utilities (£65,000 per business) plus finance & business services (£52,000 per business) expect to be the hardest hit.
Managing Director of Commercial at RSA, Jon Hancock, commented: "This research shows that Britain's yob culture is having a tangible and negative impact on British businesses up and down the country. Honest businesses of all sizes and types right across the country are footing the bill for what is socially unacceptable behaviour."
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