Professor Joshua Bamfield Director, Centre for Retail Research, said the rise of shoplifting was being driven by the perception that it was a risk-free crime.
The retail expert suggested the only way to tackle the epidemic was to make it a priority for law enforcement.
The footage shows the thief grabbing items even as a staff member confronts him and asks that he place the items in his basket on December 23.
A third added: ‘Zero tolerance for thieves, straight to jail,’ whilst a fourth quipped: ‘That staff member went above and beyond.’
‘The fact thefts below £200 are not pursued and there are a lot of demands on officers mean retailers have found it very difficult to get the kind of support they require.
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Members of the public have been left outraged by the clip, which has been viewed over five million times online.
The financial hit to businesses from shoplifting is huge, with the Met Police recording more than £15million in stolen goods and money, according to the latest data from last year.
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium said: ‘Retail workers are facing unprecedented levels of violence and abuse.
The man walking out of the store in central London
He barges past the staff member attempting to intervene before making his way to the exit
The brazen thief was caught on camera pulling items from shelves full of jams and chutneys at the store on London’s Chancery Lane.
MailOnline has contacted the Met Police and M&S for comment.
Professor Bamfield suggested the latest police figures may actually underplay the seriousness of the situation due to underreporting.
However, this is likely to dramatically understate the scale of the problem, with an inquiry warning this week that police-recorded incidents were a ‘drop in the ocean’ compared to the number actual shoplifting offences taking place.
‘Shoplifting is often an individual’s way to becoming a serious criminal so if you stop them at 15 or 16 that may get them off that path,’ he said.
His utterly relaxed demeanor is fresh proof of shoplifters’ fearlessness in the face of police inaction, with the crime currently at record levels.
‘No one should go to work and fear for their safety.’
The brazen thief – who is wearing headphones – ignores the member of staff as he continues loading his bag