The Reading / Listening - Chocolate Theft - Level 6

Shopkeepers in the UK are having to go to extreme lengths to stop shoplifters from stealing chocolate. The candy is being locked in plastic security boxes. Customers wishing to purchase a chocolate bar must ask a member of staff to unlock the box. One leading supermarket chain said it has begun using "boxes on products which are regularly targeted" by thieves. A spokesperson for another popular store, the Co-op, told the BBC that chocolate theft was a "massive issue". He said: "In a particular shop, one individual could cost us thousands of pounds in a week." He added that some people would visit a store and "literally swipe the whole shelf" of chocolate.

Chocolate is the latest target of criminal gangs. The UK's Association of Convenience Stores said the candy is being stolen by "prolific offenders" and then sold on the black market. The Co-op spokesman said chocolate was the product most often stolen from its stores in 2024, and was only second to alcohol in 2025. Another retail association said: "Chocolate is now a target, deemed to be 'high value,' so retailers have installed anti-theft devices to prevent it from being stolen." There were 5.5 million reported incidents of shop theft in the UK last year. In London, only five per cent of these ended up in the courts. Disturbingly, there are 1,600 daily incidents of violence against shop workers.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Chocolate Theft - Level 4  or  Chocolate Theft - Level 5

Sources
  • https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15587441/Now-chocolate-bars-locked-shops-stop-thieves-stealing-order.html
  • https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/shoplifting-chocolate-theft-dairy-milk-b2926378.html
  • https://www.aol.com/articles/chocolate-kept-anti-theft-boxes-103944140.html


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. CHOCOLATE: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about chocolate. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
       shopkeepers / shoplifters / security boxes / supermarket chain / chocolate / theft /
       criminal gangs / candy / black market / alcohol / courts / violence / shop workers
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. CHOCOLATE BARS: Students A strongly believe chocolate bars are better than fruit; Students B strongly believe fruit is better. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. THEFT: How serious are the forms of theft in the table? How can we stop it? What should the punishment be? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

How Serious

Stopping It

Punishment

Shoplifting

 

 

 

Burglary

 

 

 

Robbery

 

 

 

Identity theft

 

 

 

Fraud

 

 

 

Petty theft

 

 

 
MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

5. THIEF: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "thief". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. CHOCOLATE FOOD: Rank these with your partner. Put the best chocolate things at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Chocolate bar
  • Hot chocolate drink
  • Chocolate ice cream
  • Chocolate croissants
  • Chocolate fondue
  • Chocolate brownie
  • Chocolate-covered bacon
  • Chocolate milkshakes

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

       1. go to extreme lengths a. Very, very big.
       2. purchase (verb) b. Quickly take something, often secretly or illegally.
       3. chain c. Try very, very hard to do something, even if it is difficult or unusual.
       4. massive d. Many stores with the same name and owner.
       5. individual e. Buy something.
       6. literally f. One person.
       7. swipe g. In a real and exact way.

    Paragraph 2

      8. association h. Producing/Creating/Doing a huge amount of something.
      9. prolific i. People who do something wrong or illegal.
      10. offenders j. Officially decided or considered.
      11. the black market k. An organized group of people with the same purpose/objective.
      12. retail l. In a way that makes people feel worried or upset.
      13. deemed m. The selling of goods to the public in stores.
      14. disturbingly n. A place where people buy and sell things illegally.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. The article says shoplifters are going to extreme lengths to steal.     T / F
  2. Customers must ask staff to open security boxes to buy chocolate.     T / F
  3. A supermarket said one store was losing millions of pounds a week.     T / F
  4. Some shoplifters steal all of the chocolate on supermarket shelves.     T / F
  5. The article says a lot of stolen chocolate is sold in street markets.     T / F
  6. Chocolate was the product most often stolen from stores in 2024.     T / F
  7. There were over five million incidents of shoplifting in the UK last year.    T / F
  8. There are over 1,500 daily incidents of violence against shop workers.     T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

  1. extreme
  2. locked
  3. purchase
  4. theft
  5. swipe
  6. target
  7. offenders
  8. deemed
  9. incidents
  10. ended up
  1. occurrences
  2. pilfering
  3. criminals
  4. secured
  5. focus
  6. buy
  7. landed up
  8. drastic
  9. believed
  10. steal

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

  1. shopkeepers in the UK are having to go to
  2. candy is being locked in plastic
  3. ask a member of staff to
  4. products which are regularly
  5. visit a store and literally swipe the whole
  6. chocolate is the latest target
  7. stolen by prolific
  8. chocolate is now a target deemed
  9. retailers have installed anti-
  10. only five per cent of these ended
  1. offenders
  2. shelf of chocolate
  3. security boxes
  4. theft devices
  5. targeted by thieves
  6. up in the courts
  7. extreme lengths
  8. of criminal gangs
  9. to be high value
  10. unlock the box

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
regularly
wishing
added
massive
swipe
staff
extreme
individual

Shopkeepers in the UK are having to go to (1) _________________________________ lengths to stop shoplifters from stealing chocolate. The candy is being locked in plastic security boxes. Customers (2) _________________________________ to purchase a chocolate bar must ask a member of (3) _________________________________ to unlock the box. One leading supermarket chain said it has begun using "boxes on products which are (4) _________________________________ targeted" by thieves. A spokesperson for another popular store, the Co-op, told the BBC that chocolate theft was a "(5) _________________________________ issue". He said: "In a particular shop, one (6) _________________________________ could cost us thousands of pounds in a week." He (7) _________________________________ that some people would visit a store and "literally (8) _________________________________ the whole shelf" of chocolate.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
market
violence
theft
target
incidents
prolific
deemed
second

Chocolate is the latest (9) _________________________________ of criminal gangs. The UK's Association of Convenience Stores said the candy is being stolen by "(10) _________________________________ offenders" and then sold on the black (11) _________________________________. The Co-op spokesman said chocolate was the product most often stolen from its stores in 2024, and was only (12) _________________________________ to alcohol in 2025. Another retail association said: "Chocolate is now a target, (13) _________________________________ to be 'high value,' so retailers have installed anti-(14) _________________________________ devices to prevent it from being stolen." There were 5.5 million reported (15) _________________________________ of shop theft in the UK last year. In London, only five per cent of these ended up in the courts. Disturbingly, there are 1,600 daily incidents of (16) _________________________________ against shop workers.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  Shopkeepers in the UK are having to go ______
     a.  to extreme length
     b.  to extreme longings
     c.  to extreme lengthens
     d.  to extreme lengths
2)  The candy is being locked in ______
     a.  plastic security box is
     b.  plastic security boxers
     c.  plastic security boxes
     d.  plastic security proxies
3)  Customers wishing to purchase a chocolate bar must ask a ______
     a.  members of staff
     b.  member of staff
     c.  member of stuff
     d.  member off staff
4)  In a particular shop, one individual could cost us thousands of pounds ______
     a.  in a week
     b.  inner week
     c.  per a week
     d.  in that week
5)  some people would visit a store and literally swipe ______
     a.  the hole shelf
     b.  the whole shelf
     c.  the holed shelf
     d.  the holy shelf

6)  The UK's Association of Convenience Stores said the candy is being stolen ______
     a.  by profile offenders
     b.  by profligate offenders
     c.  by proletariat offenders
     d.  by prolific offenders
7)  The Co-op spokesman said chocolate was the product ______
     a.  most often stealing
     b.  most often stole
     c.  most often stolen
     d.  most often stollen
8)  deemed to be 'high value,' so retailers have installed ______
     a.  anti-theft devices
     b.  anti-theft devises
     c.  anti-theft de-vices
     d.  anti-theft div vices
9)  There were 5.5 million reported incidents ______
     a.  of shops thief
     b.  of shop deft
     c.  of shop theft
     d.  of shops theft
10)  Disturbingly, there are 1,600 daily incidents of violence ______
     a.  against shop worker
     b.  against shop workers
     c.  again shop workers
     d.  against shops workers

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Shopkeepers in the UK are having to go (1) _______________________________________________ to stop shoplifters from stealing chocolate. The candy is being locked in (2) _______________________________________________. Customers wishing to purchase a chocolate bar must ask a member of (3) _______________________________________________ the box. One leading supermarket chain said it has begun using "boxes on products which are (4) _______________________________________________ thieves. A spokesperson for another popular store, the Co-op, told the BBC that chocolate theft was (5) _______________________________________________. He said: "In a particular shop, one individual could cost us thousands of pounds in a week." He added that some people would visit a store (6) _______________________________________________ the whole shelf" of chocolate.

Chocolate is the latest (7) _______________________________________________ gangs. The UK's Association of Convenience Stores said the candy is being stolen by (8) _______________________________________________ then sold on the black market. The Co-op spokesman said chocolate was the product most often stolen from its stores in 2024, and was only (9) _______________________________________________ in 2025. Another retail association said: "Chocolate is now a (10) _______________________________________________ be 'high value,' so retailers have installed anti-theft devices to prevent it from being stolen." There were 5.5 million (11) _______________________________________________ shop theft in the UK last year. In London, only five per cent of these ended up (12) _______________________________________________. Disturbingly, there are 1,600 daily incidents of violence against shop workers.

Comprehension questions

  1. What kind of lengths are shopkeepers having to go to?
  2. Who must customers ask to buy a bar of chocolate?
  3. What did the store Co-op call the theft of chocolate?
  4. How much chocolate does one person steal from a store each week?
  5. How much chocolate do people steal from a supermarket shelf?
  6. Who in the UK have made chocolate their latest target?
  7. Where are 'prolific offenders' selling their stolen chocolate?
  8. Which product was stolen more often than chocolate in 2025?
  9. How many incidents of shoplifting were reported in the UK last year?
  10. How many daily instances of violence are directed against shop workers?

Multiple choice quiz

1)  What kind of lengths are shopkeepers having to go to?
a) long lengths
b) extreme lengths
c) uncertain lengths
d) shortened lengths
2) Who must customers ask to buy a bar of chocolate?
a) their parents
b) an app
c) a doctor
d) a member of staff
3) What did the store Co-op call the theft of chocolate?
a) shocking
b) a sticky issue
c) a massive issue
d) chocolatey
4) How much chocolate does one person steal from a store each week?
a) thousands of pounds
b) tens of thousands of pounds
c) hundreds of thousands of pounds
d) millions of pounds
5) How much chocolate do people steal from a supermarket shelf?
a) a lot
b) all of it
c) around half
d) it depends

6) Who in the UK have made chocolate their latest target?
a) criminal gangs
b) international chocolate smugglers
c) children with a sweet tooth
d) dentists
7) Where are 'prolific offenders' selling their stolen chocolate?
a) underground
b) on the sweet market
c) on the black market
d) in cany stores
8) Which product was stolen more often than chocolate in 2025?
a) alcohol
b) games
c) trainers
d) chewing gum
9) How many incidents of shoplifting were reported in the UK last year?
a) 5.8 million
b) 5.7 million
c) 5.6 million
d) 5.5 million
10) How many daily instances of violence are directed against shop workers?
a) 1,800
b) 1,700
c) 1,600
d) 1,500

Role play

Role  A – Chocolate Bars
You think a chocolate bar is the best chocolate food. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their foods. Also, tell the others which is the least tasty of these (and why): chocolate ice cream, chocolate croissants or chocolate-covered bacon.

Role  B – Chocolate Ice Cream
You think chocolate ice cream is the best chocolate food. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their foods. Also, tell the others which is the least tasty of these (and why): a chocolate bar, chocolate croissants or chocolate-covered bacon.

Role  C – Chocolate Croissants
You think a chocolate croissant is the best chocolate food. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their foods. Also, tell the others which is the least tasty of these (and why): chocolate ice cream, a chocolate bar or chocolate-covered bacon.

Role  D – Chocolate-covered Bacon
You think chocolate-covered bacon is the best chocolate food. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their foods. Also, tell the others which is the least tasty of these (and why): chocolate ice cream, chocolate croissants or a chocolate bar.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'chocolate'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'shoplifting'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • Share your findings with your partners.

    • Make questions using the words you found.

    • Ask your partner / group your questions.

    2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

    •Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

    3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

    4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

    5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

    • extreme
    • wishing
    • leading
    • popular
    • cost
    • swipe
    • latest
    • sold
    • often
    • value
    • ended
    • daily

    Student survey

    Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

    (Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

    Discussion - Chocolate Theft

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'chocolate'?
    3. What do you think of chocolate?
    4. Why do so many people love chocolate?
    5. What are your favourite chocolate dishes?
    6. Have you ever done or thought about shoplifting?
    7. What would you do if you saw someone shoplifting?
    8. How do you feel about higher prices because of shoplifters?
    9. Is there a lot of shoplifting in your country?
    10. Is it OK for a poor and hungry person to shoplift food?

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'shoplifting'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do you think of shoplifting?
    5. How big a crime is shoplifting?
    6. What should the punishment for shoplifting be?
    7. What happens to shoplifters in your country?
    8. How would you feel if chocolate disappeared?
    9. How can we combat violence against shop workers?
    10. What questions would you like to ask a shoplifter?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    Shopkeepers in the UK are having to go to (1) ____ lengths to stop shoplifters from stealing chocolate. The candy is being locked (2) ____ plastic security boxes. Customers wishing to purchase a chocolate (3) ____ must ask a member of staff to unlock the box. One leading supermarket chain said it has begun using "boxes on products which are (4) ____ targeted" by thieves. A spokesperson for another popular store, the Co-op, told the BBC that chocolate (5) ____ was a "massive issue". He said: "In a particular shop, one individual could cost us thousands of pounds in a week." He added that some people would visit a store and "literally (6) ____ the whole shelf" of chocolate.

    Chocolate is the latest target of criminal gangs. The UK's Association of Convenience Stores said the candy is being stolen by "(7) ____ offenders" and then sold on the black market. The Co-op spokesman said chocolate was the product most often stolen from its stores in 2024, and was only (8) ____ to alcohol in 2025. Another retail association said: "Chocolate is now a target, (9) ____ to be 'high value,' so retailers have installed anti-theft (10) ____ to prevent it from being stolen." There were 5.5 million reported (11) ____ of shop theft in the UK last year. In London, only five per cent of these ended (12) ____ in the courts. Disturbingly, there are 1,600 daily incidents of violence against shop workers.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     extreme     (b)     extremely     (c)     extremes     (d)     extremity    
    2. (a)     at     (b)     down     (c)     in     (d)     up    
    3. (a)     pole     (b)     baton     (c)     rod     (d)     bar    
    4. (a)     regulars     (b)     regularly     (c)     regularity     (d)     regular    
    5. (a)     thieves     (b)     thieve     (c)     thief     (d)     theft    
    6. (a)     swept     (b)     sweeps     (c)     swipe     (d)     swiping    
    7. (a)     prophylactic     (b)     prolific     (c)     prophetic     (d)     profane    
    8. (a)     second     (b)     seconded     (c)     secondly     (d)     seconds    
    9. (a)     deemed     (b)     doomed     (c)     damned     (d)     domed    
    10. (a)     devises     (b)     divines     (c)     devices     (d)     vices    
    11. (a)     incidentally     (b)     incidence     (c)     incidentals     (d)     incidents    
    12. (a)     down     (b)     up     (c)     over     (d)     that

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. go to reeemxt lengths
    2. recphsau a chocolate bar
    3. regularly targeted by eesihvt
    4. a smsviea issue
    5. one idindvauil could cost us thousands
    6. airleytll swipe the whole shelf

    Paragraph 2

    1. stolen by ifoicprl offenders
    2. retail sanciioasot
    3. retailers have installed anti-theft svidcee
    4. ended up in the corsut
    5. dgrsitinblyu, there are 1,600
    6. 1,600 daily ndsctiien of violence

    Put the text back together

    (    )   association said: "Chocolate is now a target, deemed to be 'high value,' so retailers have installed anti-
    (    )   bar must ask a member of staff to unlock the box. One leading supermarket chain said it has begun
    (    )   being stolen by "prolific offenders" and then sold on the black market. The Co-op spokesman said chocolate was the
    (    )   Chocolate is the latest target of criminal gangs. The UK's Association of Convenience Stores said the candy is
    (    )   courts. Disturbingly, there are 1,600 daily incidents of violence against shop workers.
    (    )   incidents of shop theft in the UK last year. In London, only five per cent of these end up in the
    (    )   product most often stolen from its stores in 2024, and was only second to alcohol in 2025. Another retail
    (    )   shop, one individual could cost us thousands of pounds in a week." He added that some people would
    (  1  )   Shopkeepers in the UK are having to go to extreme lengths to stop shoplifters from
    (    )   stealing chocolate. The candy is being locked in plastic security boxes. Customers wishing to purchase a chocolate
    (    )   store, the Co-op, told the BBC that chocolate theft was a "massive issue". He said: "In a particular
    (    )   theft devices to prevent it from being stolen." There were 5.5 million reported
    (    )   using "boxes on products which are regularly targeted" by thieves. A spokesperson for another popular
    (    )   visit a store and "literally swipe the whole shelf" of chocolate.

    Put the words in the right order

    1. are   extreme   go   having   lengths   to   to   Shopkeepers   .
    2. being   boxes   Candy   in   is   locked   plastic   security   .
    3. a   Ask   box   member   staff   the   to   unlock   .
    4. are   by   Products   regularly   targeted   thieves   which   .
    5. a   and   shelf   store   swipe   the   Visit   whole   .
    6. being   by   candy   is   offenders   prolific   stolen   The   .
    7. black   is   It   market   on   sold   the   then   .
    8. anti-theft   devices   have   installed   it   protect   Retailers   to   .
    9. incidents   millions   of   of   reported   theft   There   were   .
    10. against   daily   incidents   Many   of   shop   violence   workers   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Shopkeepers in the UK are having to go to extremely / extreme lengths to stop shoplifters from stealing chocolate. The candy is being locked in / up plastic security boxes. Customers wishing / wished to purchase a chocolate bar must ask a member of staff to unlock the box. One leading / leaving supermarket chain said it has begun usage / using "boxes on products which are regularly target / targeted" by thieves. A spokesperson for another popular store, the Co-op, told the BBC that chocolate theft / thief was a "massive issue". He said: "In a particular shop, one individual / individually could cost us thousands of pounds in / per a week." He added that some people would visit a store and "literally swipe / wipe the whole shelf" of chocolate.

    Chocolate is the latest target of criminal / criminally gangs. The UK's Association of Convenience Stores said the candy is being stolen by / at "prolific / profile offenders" and then sold up / on the black market. The Co-op spokesman said chocolate was the product most / must often stolen from its stores in 2024, and was only second for / to alcohol in 2025. Another retail association said: "Chocolate is now a target, doomed / deemed to be 'high value,' so retailers have installed anti-theft devises / devices to prevent it from being stolen." There were 5.5 million reported incidents of shop theft in the UK last year. In London, only five per cent of these ended / ending up in the courts. Disturbingly, there are 1,600 daily incidence / incidents of violence against shop workers.

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct. Look up the definition of new words.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    Sh_pk__p_rs  _n  th_  _K  _r_  h_v_ng  t_  g_  t_  _xtr_m_  l_ngths  t_  st_p  sh_pl_ft_rs  fr_m  st__l_ng  ch_c_l_t_.  Th_  c_ndy  _s  b__ng  l_ck_d  _n  pl_st_c  s_c_r_ty  b_x_s.  C_st_m_rs  w_sh_ng  t_  p_rch_s_  _  ch_c_l_t_  b_r  m_st  _sk  _  m_mb_r  _f  st_ff  t_  _nl_ck  th_  b_x.  _n_  l__d_ng  s_p_rm_rk_t  ch__n  s__d  _t  h_s  b_g_n  _s_ng  "b_x_s  _n  pr_d_cts  wh_ch  _r_  r_g_l_rly  t_rg_t_d"  by  th__v_s.  _  sp_k_sp_rs_n  f_r  _n_th_r  p_p_l_r  st_r_,  th_  C_-_p,  t_ld  th_  BBC  th_t  ch_c_l_t_  th_ft  w_s  _  "m_ss_v_  _ss__".  H_  s__d:  "_n  _  p_rt_c_l_r  sh_p,  _n_  _nd_v_d__l  c__ld  c_st  _s  th__s_nds  _f  p__nds  _n  _  w__k."  H_  _dd_d  th_t  s_m_  p__pl_  w__ld  v_s_t  _  st_r_  _nd  "l_t_r_lly  sw_p_  th_  wh_l_  sh_lf"  _f  ch_c_l_t_.

    Ch_c_l_t_  _s  th_  l_t_st  t_rg_t  _f  cr_m_n_l  g_ngs.  Th_  _K's  _ss_c__t__n  _f  C_nv_n__nc_  St_r_s  s__d  th_  c_ndy  _s  b__ng  st_l_n  by  "pr_l_f_c  _ff_nd_rs"  _nd  th_n  s_ld  _n  th_  bl_ck  m_rk_t.  Th_  C_-_p  sp_k_sm_n  s__d  ch_c_l_t_  w_s  th_  pr_d_ct  m_st  _ft_n  st_l_n  fr_m  _ts  st_r_s  _n  2024,  _nd  w_s  _nly  s_c_nd  t_  _lc_h_l  _n  2025.  _n_th_r  r_t__l  _ss_c__t__n  s__d:  "Ch_c_l_t_  _s  n_w  _  t_rg_t,  d__m_d  t_  b_  'h_gh  v_l__,'  s_  r_t__l_rs  h_v_  _nst_ll_d  _nt_-th_ft  d_v_c_s  t_  pr_v_nt  _t  fr_m  b__ng  st_l_n."  Th_r_  w_r_  5.5  m_ll__n  r_p_rt_d  _nc_d_nts  _f  sh_p  th_ft  _n  th_  _K  l_st  y__r.  _n  L_nd_n,  _nly  f_v_  p_r  c_nt  _f  th_s_  _nd_d  _p  _n  th_  c__rts.  D_st_rb_ngly,  th_r_  _r_  1,600  d__ly  _nc_d_nts  _f  v__l_nc_  _g__nst  sh_p  w_rk_rs.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    shopkeepers in the uk are having to go to extreme lengths to stop shoplifters from stealing chocolate the candy is being locked in plastic security boxes customers wishing to purchase a chocolate bar must ask a member of staff to unlock the box one leading supermarket chain said it has begun using boxes on products which are regularly targeted by thieves a spokesperson for another popular store the coop told the bbc that chocolate theft was a massive issue he said in a particular shop one individual could cost us thousands of pounds in a week he added that some people would visit a store and literally swipe the whole shelf of chocolate

    chocolate is the latest target of criminal gangs the uks association of convenience stores said the candy is being stolen by prolific offenders and then sold on the black market the coop spokesman said chocolate was the product most often stolen from its stores in 2024 and was only second to alcohol in 2025 another retail association said chocolate is now a target deemed to be high value so retailers have installed antitheft devices to prevent it from being stolen there were 55 million reported incidents of shop theft in the uk last year in london only five per cent of these ended up in the courts disturbingly there are 1600 daily incidents of violence against shop workers

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    ShopkeepersintheUKarehavingtogotoextremelengthstostopshoplift
    ersfromstealingchocolate.Thecandyisbeinglockedinplasticsecurityb
    oxes.Customerswishingtopurchaseachocolatebarmustaskamember
    ofstafftounlockthebox.Oneleadingsupermarketchainsaidithasbegu
    nusing"boxesonproductswhichareregularlytargeted"bythieves.Asp
    okespersonforanotherpopularstore,theCo-op,toldtheBBCthatchoco
    latetheftwasa"massiveissue".Hesaid:"Inaparticularshop,oneindivid
    ualcouldcostusthousandsofpoundsinaweek."Headdedthatsomepeo
    plewouldvisitastoreand"literallyswipethewholeshelf"ofchocolate.Ch
    ocolateisthelatesttargetofcriminalgangs.TheUK'sAssociationofConv
    enienceStoressaidthecandyisbeingstolenby"prolificoffenders"andth
    ensoldontheblackmarket.TheCo-opspokesmansaidchocolatewasth
    eproductmostoftenstolenfromitsstoresin2024,andwasonlysecondto
    alcoholin2025.Anotherretailassociationsaid:"Chocolateisnowatarge
    t,deemedtobe'highvalue,'soretailershaveinstalledanti-theftdevices
    topreventitfrombeingstolen."Therewere5.5millionreportedincident
    sofshoptheftintheUKlastyear.InLondon,onlyfivepercentoftheseend
    upinthecourts.Disturbingly,thereare1,600dailyincidentsofviolencea
    gainstshopworkers.

    Free writing

    Write about chocolate shoplifting for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    Chocolate is the best kind of candy and drink flavour. Discuss.

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    Homework

    1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
    2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. CHOCOLATE: Make a poster about chocolate. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. SHOPLIFTING: Write a magazine article about greatly increasing the penalties for shoplifting. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
    Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
    5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on chocolate. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your opinions on the best chocolatey things. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

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    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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