Microsoft has snagged 10 UK retailers in its anti-piracy net, as new figures from the Business Software Alliance (BSA) indicate that UK software piracy rates have dropped for the first time in three years.

Analyst IDC’s annual global piracy study, conducted on behalf of the BSA, found that the UK software piracy rate dropped one per cent to 26 per cent in 2007. UK losses from piracy hit £925m.

Julie Strawson, chair of the BSA UK member committee, said: “That one per cent will create somewhere in the region of 1,300 jobs and the UK economy will benefit greatly. However, there is still a lot more to be done.”

Among the 108 countries studied, software piracy dropped in 67 countries and increased in eight.

But it was a double victory for the channel as Microsoft revealed that a further 10 UK retailers have admitted to involvement in unlawful software activity, including the sale of unlicensed software and hard disk loading.

Michala Wardell, head of anti-piracy at Microsoft UK stressed those caught were widely dispersed across the UK.

“Just because a pirate is not based near Microsoft does not mean it can escape detection because it causes too much destruction to the channel to go unnoticed,” she said.

Ross Miller, managing director of reseller Trustmarque, said more can be done to publicise that the responsibility lies not just with the channel, but also with the end user community.

“You would not go into a supermarket, fill up your basket and walk out without paying. Software piracy is just as wrong,” he added.

Greg Carlow, managing director of VAR Repton, saw the one per cent fall as a drop in the ocean.

“Saying that one per cent will have a big impact is admitting that the number of pirates out there is massive,” he said.