Drugs were blamed for a rise in shoplifting

Shoplifting accounted for more than 28% of the total, along with an increase in theft by staff, and violence and verbal attacks against staff.

The Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) said drug abuse was a major factor in the rise in shoplifting.

It urged councils to follow the Highlands, which has pioneered the use of anti-social behaviour orders.

SRC director Fiona Moriarty said some of the increases could be explained by better recording and reporting.

"However, overall these increases prove more must be done to prevent retail crime," she added.

The estimated �228m total cost of retail crime compares to �166m in 2002.

Of last year's total, losses from crime accounted for �135m while crime prevention costs accounted for �93m.

2003 RETAIL CRIME FIGURES Known cases of theft by customers rose to 3,185 for every 100 retail outlets, compared with 1,258 in 2002 Staff theft increased to 22 known incidents per 1,000 employees, compared with 11 in 2002 Break-ins fell, but the value lost per break-in increased sharply to �3,589, from �927 in 2002 Staff abuse by customers, both verbal and physical, soared to 218 incidents per 1,000 staff from 24 in 2002 Fraud accounted for 40% of total losses, while customer theft accounted for 29% and staff theft 15% Robbery, till snatches and break-ins accounted for just under 9%

Ms Moriarty said: "What we are seeing is that for a medium to hardcore drug habit, you need to be stealing between �44,000 and �54,000 worth of goods every year.

"If you have a drugs habit, you tend to be fuelling the habit by shoplifting."

Highland Council's use of an anti-social behaviour (Asbo) to thwart a shoplifter was hailed by Labour MSP Maureen Macmillan.

She said: "Asbos are not just for neighbours from hell or unruly youths."

The council had detailed 18 instances of shoplifting or attempts to steal over a two-and-a-half year period and the order was granted by a sheriff, banning a man from shops in the centre of Inverness for two years.

Ms Moriarty said: "We have long argued that Asbos can be used to cut down on shop theft and anti-social behaviour occurring in and around shops.