Retail bodies welcome progress to protect sector from theft and harm

Trade bodies have welcomed the completion of the Crime and Policing Bill’s second reading in the House of Lords.

It puts the sector a step closer to tackling a surge in shop theft and protecting shopworkers from rising levels of abuse and violence.

The Bill, which will now go onto the committee stage, will remove the £200 threshold for ‘low-level’ theft, which will send “a clear signal that all shoplifting is unacceptable and will not be tolerated”, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said.

It will also introduce a standalone offence for assaulting a retail worker, which will increase sentencing and improve the visibility of violence against retail workers so police can allocate the necessary resources to tackle this challenge.

“We are glad to be one step closer to the implementation of the Crime and Policing Bill,” said BRC crime policy adviser Lucy Whing. “As the government takes action to address retail crime, retailers hope this Bill will play a vital role in protecting retail workers from harm and tackling the surge in theft.”

ACS CEO James Lowman said: “The introduction of the Crime and Policing Bill to the House of Lords marks a vital step forward in protecting the people who work in and rely on local shops. Retail crime is not a victimless offence – it causes real harm to retailers, store colleagues and communities.

“We strongly support the Bill’s measures to create a standalone offence for attacks on shopworkers and to remove the £200 threshold that has reinforced the perception that shop theft will not be investigated by the police.

“These changes reflect the urgent need to tackle prolific offenders who blight our high streets. We urge peers to back this legislation and ensure every incident of retail crime is taken seriously.”

Abuse on home delivery drivers

The sector, however, has called on the government to extend the offence of assaulting a retail worker to home delivery drivers and riders. Trade union Usdaw submitted evidence to the Home Office outlining the violence, threats and abuse faced by home delivery drivers.

It surveyed over 300 retail home delivery drivers working mainly in the grocery sector and employed by a range of companies including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Ocado, Asda, Morrisons and Iceland. It found that, in the past 12 months, 77% had been a victim of abuse, 13% were assaulted, and 26% had refused a delivery due to fear for their own personal safety.

“All people working in customer-facing roles in the industry deserve equal protection, as is the case in Scotland,” added Whing. “It remains unclear if the offence will cover delivery drivers, despite new figures from Usdaw revealing that more than three-quarters have been a victim of abuse and over one in 10 have been assaulted during the last 12 months. We call on the government to ensure the final Act ensures the extension of protections to delivery drivers.”

Home Office minister Lord Hanson said: “The issue closest to my heart in this Bill is attacks on retail workers. Shopworkers are upholding the law on solvent abuse, alcohol, cigarette sales and other things. There will be representations on other areas and we will have to examine those representations.”

Usdaw general secretary Joanne Thomas said: “The minister confirmed they will consider representations and we would welcome the opportunity to make the case, along with retail trade bodies and employers, to further explore the protection of delivery drivers as part of the government’s efforts to tighten up the regulation of the online sale of knives.”