UK Retailers Demand Action as Wave of Violence and Theft Sweeps Shops
A wave of theft and violence is wreaking havoc in UK shops, prompting major retailers to call on the police for more assistance. In a letter to Home Secretary Suella Braverman, 86 companies including Asda, Sainsbury’s, M&S, Boots, Morrisons, and John Lewis, are demanding that police in England prioritize retail crime and improve their response to incidents.
According to the British Retail Consortium (BRC), shop workers are facing daily violence and abuse, as retail crime continues to rise. The BRC estimates that attacks on retail employees have doubled in the past four years, with over 800 incidents occurring each day. The cost of retail crime in the 12 months leading up to April is estimated at over £1.76 billion, as stores, already losing millions to theft, are forced to invest more in crime prevention.
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, stressed the urgency of the situation, saying, It is vital that action is taken before the scourge of retail crime gets any worse. We are witnessing organized gangs intimidating staff with weapons and looting stores. We are seeing violence against employees who are simply doing their jobs, such as conducting age-verification checks. Shop staff are subjected to a constant stream of abuse, and this is simply unacceptable. No one should have to fear for their safety at work.
To address these escalating issues, several retailers, including Aldi, Primark, and Tesco, have adopted body cameras for their workers, aiming to enhance their own surveillance. Tesco is also introducing hundreds of protective screens in smaller stores to safeguard employees from shoplifter assaults.
In their joint letter to the Home Secretary, leading retailers and supermarkets called for the creation of a standalone offense specifically targeting assaulting or abusing a retail worker, which would come with stricter penalties for offenders. This would require police forces to record all such incidents, enabling them to allocate appropriate resources and act as a deterrent.
The letter explained, The police consistently inform us that a lack of data about these offenses means they have no visibility of the nature or scale of the problem. While retailers are working to improve incident reporting, and we have established successful partnerships with police forces in many areas, the introduction of a standalone offense would significantly enhance visibility. This would allow the police to allocate resources more effectively and improve their response.
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, emphasized the need for government action, stating, It is time for the government to translate their words into action. We need the government to stand alongside the millions of retail workers who ensured our safety and kept us fed during the pandemic. They deserve support, just as they supported us.
This escalating wave of violence and theft in UK shops highlights the urgent need for improved cooperation between retailers and law enforcement. With the implementation of stronger measures, such as the creation of a dedicated offense against assaulting or abusing retail workers, combined with increased police prioritization and response, the hope is that the safety and well-being of shop employees can be restored, ensuring they can carry out their work without fear.
