Cheese is the most stolen food in the world.

The Center for Retail Research studied 1,187 retailers in 43 countries. They found that cheese is stolen more often than chocolate or alcohol. Retailers use the word shrinkage to describe items lost to theft or damage. For cheese, this loss rate is consistently between 3% and 4% of total stock.Price is a major reason for these thefts. High-quality cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano can cost over $20 per pound. In 2015, organized groups in Italy stole 2,000 wheels of cheese worth more than $800,000. Small blocks of cheddar or wheels of brie are also easy to hide in bags or clothes.Stolen cheese is often sold to small restaurants or markets that want to save money. Because cheese does not rot as fast as milk or bread, it is easier for thieves to handle. Other frequently stolen foods include fresh meat and baby formula. This trend happens across Europe, North America, and South America.