Pop quiz.
What do you think is the most stolen item in the world?
Drugs?
Cars?
Bread?
Bread was the first thing that came to my mind perhaps because I love the book and the musical Les Miserables‘. Who can forget Jean Valjean going to prison for stealing bread to feed his sister’s children?
All of those answers are wrong!
Would you believe that after surveying nearly 1200 retailers representing 250,000 retail outlets all across the world, the UK’s Center for Retail Research discovered that the most stolen item is none other than:
CHEESE!
Believe it or not, nearly 4% of cheese is stolen each and every year.
Dr. Joshua Banfield, Director of the Center for Retail Research, says that with the price of healthy cheese such as authentic Gouda rising, much of the theft is for resale into other markets or to restaurants.
Other frequently stolen items making the high risk list include meat, chocolate, alcohol, and seafood including caviar.
I find it interesting that three out of the top five most stolen items are animal foods considered by Traditional Societies to be essential for vibrant health.
It seems that when desperation sets in at the level which compels a person to become a criminal, the misguided mantra of conventional nutritionists and government agencies to avoid meat and foods high in saturated fat like cheese quickly goes out the window.
Perhaps there is more going on here than small time criminals trying to make a quick buck on the black market. Â Could many of these people stealing cheese, meat, or seafood simply be extremely hungry during these tumultuous economic times and instinctively favoring those foods that will give them the most nutrition and ability to survive?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Source: World Dairy Diary
I work at Whole Foods Market…..and since our mantra has been to push veganism I don’t see one leaf of kale stolen yet…..ha ha…..it is Always cheese and high end face care. As I have always saId when this world goes to hell and a hand basket no one is going to “thrive” on kale. It is laughable now, but it won’t be when all the vegans revert to animal products in five years and plunder all the goods!
Be on the look out!
Jennifer W
That’s because kale sucks.
Wow… I find that really surprising, especially when some cheeses can be so easily made from scratch. Wonder which types they take the most. Do you know?
The most frequently stolen item in the world is #cheese?! http://t.co/JXlHQ5q2
If I was going to steal something, cheese would be top of my list!
Who knew?
Thanks for sharing this Sarah. Wonderful insight.
There’s some Mango-Ginger Stilton cheese down at Fresh Market that would be first on my list….definitely worth the risk! Lololol!
So Interesting. We had a case of green beans stolen from our car that we purchased to take to one of the city food pantries. They don’t accept fresh veggies so we give canned or dry beans. They broke the window to take it. Police Officer thought it was a bit funny.
Pen
I would have never thought the most stolen item would be cheese. You learn something new everyday….
I was surprised at first too .. then I got to thinking more about it and it made more sense particularly considering that meat and seafood were in the top 5 list too.