Bryan HayViolence against shopworkers has more than doubled in the past year, coinciding with a 37% increase in shoplifting incidents, the highest in 20 years, according to Usdaw’s latest survey. This troubling rise in retail crime often triggers violent incidents, with shoplifting acting as a major flashpoint for abuse and physical harm against retail workers.
Paddy Lillis, Usdaw General Secretary, emphasised the gravity of the situation, stating, “Having to deal with repeated and persistent shoplifters can cause issues beyond the theft itself like anxiety, fear and in some cases physical harm to retail workers.” The survey further reveals that “seven in ten of retail workers suffered abuse from customers, nearly half were threatened and 18% assaulted.”
With the upcoming Police and Crime Commissioner elections on 2 May in England and Wales, Usdaw is rallying support for Labour’s Community Policing Guarantee to enhance local safety and address retail crime comprehensively. The union also stresses the importance of implementing the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s Retail Crime Action Plan and simplifying the crime reporting process.
Usdaw has long advocated for more stringent legislative measures to protect retail workers, calling for a standalone offence for assaulting shopworkers. Lillis remarked, “No-one should feel afraid to go to work, but our evidence shows that too many retail workers are.” He criticized the current government’s approach, highlighting that “the Government’s dither and delay on this issue over many years, has led to thousands of shopworkers needlessly suffering physical and mental injury.”
The union’s Freedom From Fear Campaign, initiated in 2003, continues to push for enhanced protections for retail staff through collaboration with various stakeholders. Despite these efforts, challenges persist, as evidenced by a Co-op study showing that “on average 71% of serious retail crime was not responded to by police.”
As the government finally begins to acknowledge the need for legislative action, Usdaw and its members remain cautious but hopeful that forthcoming measures will effectively safeguard retail workers across the UK.
