How Many Guard Hours Do You Really Need to Protect £100k in Stock?

How many security guard hours do you need to protect £100k in retail stock?

If you’re holding £100,000 in retail stock, it’s important to know how many security guard hours are realistically needed to protect that value. Most UK retailers in this position operate with 20 to 40 hours of weekly coverage. But your exact requirements depend on your shrink risk, staffing budget, product visibility and store layout. This guide helps you calculate your retail security coverage using cost-to-coverage ratios, shrinkage benchmarks and return-on-investment models.

UK Retail Shrink: What You’re Really Up Against

Shrinkage in UK retail continues to increase. Losses from shoplifting, staff theft, refund fraud, and stock damage now account for 1.2 to 2.5 percent of turnover across many sectors. That represents billions lost each year.

External theft tends to peak during high footfall periods such as weekends or seasonal sales. Internal theft, on the other hand, is more likely during low visibility hours and is often linked to refund manipulation or unauthorised stockroom access.

Knowing when and where shrinkage occurs gives you a better chance of deploying a shrinkage reduction plan at the right time.

What Do Security Guards Cost in the UK?

Hourly rates for retail security guards in the UK range between £18 and £25. These costs reflect several key factors:

• Static weekday guards in low-risk areas: £19 to £21 per hour

• Patrol guards responsible for CCTV or multiple zones: £22 to £24 per hour

• City centre or high-risk guards with flexible cover: £25 or more per hour

These rates usually include Security Industry Authority licensing, liability insurance, and supervision. Choosing lower-cost options might save on paper but often reduces the quality of visual deterrence.

How to Estimate Guard Hours Based on £100k in Stock

Let’s say your business turns over £500,000 per year and carries £100,000 in stock. If your shrink rate is 1.5 percent, you’re losing around £7,500 annually.

If each hour of guarding costs £24, a weekly spend of £480 gets you 20 hours of cover. To break even, those 20 hours need to reduce your losses by at least £480. If your typical weekly shrink exceeds that figure, then this level of coverage makes financial sense.

In higher-risk environments, such as busy city high streets or locations with valuable open stock, 30 to 40 hours per week is often needed to bring losses down to an acceptable level.

When Do Guard Hours Actually Pay Off?

Guarding becomes cost-effective once the savings in shrinkage match or outweigh the weekly spend on staffing. Here's a general guide:

• Up-to 24 hours per week for quiet or low-risk stores

• 25-40 hours per week for mid-risk sites

• 60 hours+ per week for busy, high-risk or high-theft environments

To optimise the value, align your guard deployment strategy with periods of high exposure. That might mean afternoons, weekends or restock windows depending on your store’s incident response data.

Affects How Many Guard Hours You Need?

Use this quick checklist to assess how much guard coverage your site might require:

• Does your store have multiple entry or exit points?

• Are there blind spots or low-visibility areas in your layout?

• Do you carry high-value, compact items that are easy to conceal?

• Is your location near transport hubs or in a high-footfall zone?

• Do you trade during evenings, weekends or outside normal retail hours?

• Have you experienced internal theft, refund fraud or repeated shrink events?

• Do you lack a current staff monitoring system or real-time security monitoring tools?

If you’ve answered yes to more than two of the above, consider scheduling at least 20 to 30 guard hours per week possibly more during peak seasons or in high-risk zones.

Internal Guard vs Third-Party Security: What’s the Difference?

Choosing between in-house security staff and third-party guarding services affects flexibility, liability and cost. Here’s how they compare:

Internal Security Staff

• Payroll responsibility lies with you

• Requires direct training, scheduling and performance management

• Higher legal liability in the event of incident claims or confrontations

• May lack specialist support or fast cover for absence

Third-Party Security Providers

• SIA licensed guards included with insurance and oversight

• Flexible cover for short-notice changes, peak trading or site-specific needs

• Access to mobile patrols, risk profiling and analytics

• Reduced employer liability and full compliance documentation

Retailers often prefer third-party support for scalable staffing, fast replacement cover, and a more comprehensive loss prevention benchmark.

How Guards Fit into a Wider Shrink Strategy

Retail guarding works best as part of an integrated prevention plan. Here’s how Fahrenheit Security recommends layering your approach:

• Use front of house retail security guarding for real-time deterrence and visible reassurance

• Control access to high-risk areas with fob-based systems or monitored entry

• Train staff on theft spotting, shrink reporting and fraud awareness

• Run regular stock audits using EPOS-linked loss tracking tools

This strategy supports both active deterrence and real-time incident response while reducing risk exposure.

Practical Steps to Take with a Security Provider

Start by gathering key operational data:

• Historic shrink figures by product category or store zone

• Floor plan showing blind spots and access routes

• Footfall data, trading hours and delivery schedules

• Details of recent incidents including refund fraud or tag removal

With this information, your provider can model security staffing using a guard deployment calculator, risk exposure data, and real-world retail analytics. Fahrenheit Security offers flexible security options and quick-response scheduling to align guard headcount with your retail risk profile.

Questions we get asked about stock loss and security guarding

How much does a security guard cost per hour in the UK?

Security guards typically cost between £18 and £25 per hour depending on duties, hours, and risk levels.

How many guard hours do I need for £100k in stock?

A typical benchmark is 24 to 40 guard hours per week, based on shrink exposure, layout, and product risk.

What is the average shrink rate in UK retail?

UK retail shrink rates range from 1.2 to 2.5 percent depending on sector and location.

What ROI should I expect from guard hours?

A break-even model applies. If a guard prevents more in weekly losses than they cost, the spend is justified. ROI increases when paired with analytics and training.

Is CCTV better than guards?

They work best in combination. CCTV offers post-incident evidence and live alerts, while guards provide deterrence, real-time response, and customer-facing support.

How do I calculate the right number of guard hours based on shrink rate?

Estimate your weekly shrink loss, set a target reduction, and divide that savings goal by your guard hourly rate. This shows how many hours you can afford for a positive ROI.

What security risks increase staffing needs in UK retail?

Multiple access points, open stock displays, long trading hours and past incidents are common triggers that increase the need for additional security coverage.

Summary Benchmarks and Takeaway

To protect £100,000 in stock efficiently:

• Use a guard staffing calculator to estimate needs by store type

• Match coverage to risk, not floor size

• Benchmark shrink rates and weekly security costs for ROI tracking

• Pair guarding with EPOS analytics, tagging systems and behavioural training

Fahrenheit Security works with UK retailers to assess shrinkage risk and implement practical, data-backed coverage. Request a risk audit or guard coverage assessment today.