WASHINGTON – The following statement may be attributed to National Retail Federation Executive Vice President of Government Relations David French following the introduction of the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 by Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Representative Dave Joyce, R-Ohio.
“ORC is a multibillion-dollar crisis impacting retailers, their associates and the customers they serve. ORC is occurring across the retail enterprise – supply chains, bricks-and-mortar stores, warehouses and online – with stolen product sold for a profit, oftentimes to fund other crimes.
“The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 will align efforts within a new Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center to ensure that resources and information-sharing will be available across local, state, federal and private-sector partners to bring cases and prosecutions against organized theft groups. This legislation is an important step to help prevent ORC from infiltrating local communities across the country.
“NRF applauds Chairman Grassley, Sen. Cortez Masto, Rep. Joyce and all of their bipartisan original co-sponsors for their continued leadership to address one of retail’s biggest challenges. We urge Congress to move quickly to approve this integral measure.”
According to NRF’s "The Impact of Retail Theft & Violence 2024" report, about three-quarters (73%) of those surveyed say that shoplifters are exhibiting more violence and aggression than they were a year ago. Furthermore, nearly all (94%) retailers view federal legislation as a necessity to effectively combat this issue.
As the leading authority and voice for retail, NRF has spearheaded industry efforts for policy reform on crucial ORC legislation.
About NRF
The National Retail Federation passionately advocates for the people, brands, policies and ideas that help retail succeed. From its headquarters in Washington, D.C., NRF empowers the industry that powers the economy. Retail is the nation’s largest private-sector employer, contributing $5.3 trillion to annual GDP and supporting more than one in four U.S. jobs — 55 million working Americans. For over a century, NRF has been a voice for every retailer and every retail job, educating, inspiring and communicating the powerful impact retail has on local communities and global economies. nrf.com