Calling the new Crime and Policing Bill a "step in the right direction", the Federation of Independent Retailers (Fed) has welcomed new measures to tackle assaults and theft in shops, saying they were long overdue.
The Crime and Policing Bill, which was put before Parliament on Tuesday (25) is at the heart of what the government calls its "Safer Streets” plan, and ministers want it to become law by the end of the year.
The bill includes the introduction of a standalone offence of assaulting a shopworker and scrapping a 2014 law that classified shoplifting of items worth under £200 as less serious than other retail theft - making them less of a priority for the police.
The Fed’s National President Mo Razzaq said, “For far too long, the failure to protect retailers and shop staff has undermined confidence in both the police and the criminal justice system.
“The refusal to attend incidents that are deemed as low value or to have measured insufficient ‘threat’ levels have left retailers frustrated, as repeat offenders seem to steal and threaten with impunity.
“This new bill is a step in the right direction. What we need to see now is real action to stem the rising tide of crime against retailers and their staff.
“The Fed has met with and written to police and crime commissioners across England and Wales urging them to work with the police to ensure frontline neighbourhood police teams take this seriously.”
The Home Office says the bill's aims will be delivered by recruiting 13,000 additional neighbourhood officers by 2029 - and the department has pledged £200m specifically towards this goal.
Announcing the latest measures to tackle retail crime, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said, “The new Crime and Policing Bill is about taking back our streets and town centres, restoring respect for law and order, and giving the police and local communities the support and tools they need to tackle local crime."
Welcoming the Bill’s introduction to Parliament, Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the BRC, emphasized the urgency of addressing retail crime.
“With our latest survey showing retail crime spiraling out of control, urgent action is needed to protect our retail colleagues from harm and tackle the surge in theft," she said.
Dickinson highlighted that making violence against retail staff a standalone offence will increase visibility, allowing police to allocate resources appropriately and deter offenders.
