Nearly a third of Americans say they have shoplifted at some point in their lives, according to a new LendingTree survey — a figure that has climbed as high prices for groceries, housing and
Nearly a third of Americans say they have shoplifted at some point in their lives, according to a new LendingTree survey — a figure that has climbed as high prices for groceries, housing and insurance continue to strain household budgets.
The survey found that 30% of respondents admitted to shoplifting, up from 23% in a similar poll two years earlier. Many who said they had stolen pointed to inflation and the broader economy as a factor.
This is a self-reported online survey of 2,000 adults, not a measure of actual crime. It captures lifetime behavior, so the increase may reflect a greater willingness to admit past theft as much as any recent spike. It is a read on attitudes, not a national crime statistic.
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Younger adults were more likely than older generations to report shoplifting, and respondents split between those who said they took necessities and those who admitted to grabbing non-essential items.
Matt Schulz, LendingTree's chief credit analyst, said economic pressure appears to be part of the story.
"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.
Retail theft has many drivers, and researchers caution against pinning it on any single cause.
Organized retail crime, self-checkout systems, staffing shortages, local enforcement policies, substance abuse and repeat offenders all feed the numbers, and different data sources produce different estimates because they measure different things.
Financial strain does not only change how people spend. It changes how they try to get ahead — and increasingly, that means crypto.
About 30% of U.S. adults, or roughly 70 million people, now own cryptocurrency, up from 27% in 2024, according to a 2026 Motley Fool survey. Ownership skews young: more than half of Gen Z respondents say they have owned crypto, and roughly 40% of Gen Z plan to increase their trading this year, far above older cohorts.
It is the same demographic — younger and more financially stretched — that the shoplifting survey found most likely to admit to theft. A separate survey found many young investors trust crypto platforms more than banks.
Much of that interest rides on a specific pitch: that Bitcoin is a hedge against inflation and a debased dollar. For households watching prices rise, it is an appealing message.
The 2026 data complicates it. As U.S. inflation ran hot this year — CPI hit 3.8% year over year in April — Bitcoin behaved like a risk asset, not a safe haven, falling sharply in the first quarter even as consumer prices climbed.
Kevin Warsh (L) shakes hands with U.S. President Donald Trump after being sworn in as the new Chairman of the Federal Reserve on May 22, 2026 in Washington, DC.Gold, by contrast, is up roughly 80% since early 2025, the clear macro winner.
Large institutions are still buying Bitcoin as a long-term bet against currency debasement, but over the short horizons that matter to a stretched family, it has not reliably protected purchasing power.
That gap is the risk. Reaching for a volatile asset to escape a budget squeeze can deepen it, the same way a desperate decision at the self-checkout can. Financial counselors generally urge people under strain to exhaust safer options first — food banks and community pantries, utility hardship programs, SNAP and other public benefits, and nonprofit credit counseling — before turning to either a risky trade or an illegal one.
