Police and courts must ‘get tough’ on violence against shopworkers, say retailers
The latest national survey on retail crime reveals a sharp rise in the number of attacks suffered by shopworkers, with the number of incidents of violence and abuse now reaching 455 a day – almost one every minute.
Apart from the physical and mental impact this has on retailers and their staff, the financial cost to the retail industry is a staggering £2.5 billion a year, according to the latest annual report from the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
The Federation of Independent Retailers (NFRN) says the police and the courts must take these incidents “more seriously” and wants to see tougher sentencing introduced.
According to the BRC survey published on Wednesday (May 26), the police response to retail crime incidents was rated as ‘good’ or ‘fair’ in just 40 per cent of cases, while only six per cent of violent incidents ended in prosecution.
Incidents of violence and abuse against shopworkers in the year to March 2020 were up seven per cent from the previous year. The findings also show that the total cost to retailers of crime and crime prevention was £2.5 billion, including £935 million in customer theft – an increase of 14 per cent on 2018/19 (£2.2 billion).
The NFRN said it has campaigned tirelessly to highlight the need for a better police response and tougher sentencing for those who carry out these crimes.
NFRN national president Stuart Reddish said: “This latest report confirms what we have been telling the Government and the powers that be for years – that independent retailers are being let down and ignored by the system.
“I get reports every day from our members who have been physically attacked or threatened, while others have been coughed at or spat on, particularly during the Covid pandemic, and racially abused on a regular basis.
“Nobody should have to deal with such incidents as part of their job but, sadly, all too often retail workers have come to see it as just that – part of the job.
“The rules around the enforcing of Covid-19 regulations have strengthened the case for a change in the law more than ever. The police and the courts must take these incidents more seriously and protect those who work in retail by introducing tougher sentencing as an effective deterrent.”
Helen Dickinson OBE, chief executive of the BRC, said the scale of the problem was “huge”.
“The frequency of violence and abuse rose from 424 incidents to 455 incidents, every single day. That’s over 150,000 incidents of abuse and violence every year,” she said.
“Despite clear evidence showing the escalation of violence and abuse against retail workers, the Government has time and time again chosen not to act.
“Many incidents arise as staff carry out their legal duties, including age verification and more recently, implementing Covid safety measures. And, despite retailers spending enormous sums on crime prevention, the situation is only getting worse. Scotland has sent a clear message that the rise in violence and abuse must end, and the rest of the UK must follow their lead.”
The BRC is calling for a statutory offence for assaulting, threatening, or abusing a retail worker. The Scottish Parliament has already taken decisive action to better protect retail workers through Daniel Johnson MSP’s Shopworker Protection Bill. This means retail staff are better protected in Dumfries than they are 30 miles south in Carlisle, says the BRC.
It added: “Similar legislation must be introduced in the rest of the UK and we urge the Bill Committee who are currently scrutinising the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill to support changes proposed by Shadow Policing Minister, Sarah Jones MP.
“A new statutory offence would toughen sentences for those who are violent or abusive towards shopworkers, deter future perpetrators, and ensure shopworkers feel safer at work. This is combined with calls for police forces across the UK to prioritise retail crime and improve their response to incidents.”
In September 2020, the BRC launched its Shopworkers’ Protection Pledge, calling on politicians to stand with retail workers to support legislation for better protection. The pledge has so far been signed by more than 55 MPs from all major parties. This came after the Prime Minister told Parliament in 2020, that “we should not tolerate crimes of violence against shopworkers”.
Ms Dickinson said: “This survey should serve as a call to action for politicians, police and officials, to turn these words into action, and tackle the scourge of retail crime head on.”