The government has finally agreed to introduce an amendment to make attacking a retail worker an aggravated offence, resulting in tougher sentencing for offenders.
The trade bodies for independent convenience stores have earlier expressed their disappointment at the government’s failure to take action to introduce tougher sentences for shopworkers. In the recent Lords debate on the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill held on 17th November 2021, amendments to make attacking someone working in retail a more serious offence were withdrawn.
Speaking during the debate, Minister Baroness Williams of Trafford said, “Obviously, a wide range of offences already exist covering assaults on any worker, including retail workers, and they include offences such as common assaults.”
The minister also mentioned the government’s previous commitment to address this issue in the Lords. During an earlier debate in the Commons on this Bill, Victoria Atkins, now Minister of State for Prisons and Probation, had said, “I make it clear that we want to assure my honourable friend and Members of all parties that we are not complacent about the matter and that we are actively considering tabling an amendment, if appropriate, in the Lords."
In the debate, Baroness Williams said: “In the Commons, Minister Atkins committed to actively consider this issue and that remains the government’s position, but as part of that process of consideration I very much wanted to hear and then reflect on the debate today.”
The trade bodies weigh in
Displeasure with the outcome echoed across the grocery and retail sectors. “We are extremely disappointed that the government has once again failed to take urgent action to protect colleagues working in our sector,” ACS chief executive James Lowman commented then.
“These amendments would’ve introduced a new specific offence for attacks on shop workers in line with recently passed legislation in Scotland and provided our colleagues with the additional protection that they so desperately need. Violent and abusive incidents can be traumatic for the individuals, often with significant emotional and physical implications and shop workers should be provided with the same level of protection across the UK.
“Violence and abuse towards staff is a top concern for retailers and we will continue to call for the Government to introduce tougher penalties for attacks on shop workers to send the clear message that these incidents are unacceptable and should not be tolerated.”
The chairman of the Federation of Independent Retailers’ (NFRN) political engagement committee Shahid Razzaq said, “We are grateful to the members of the House of Lords who supported retailers during [the] debate by raising the plight that people working in shops face every day. Theft, vandalism and physical and verbal attacks are an all too familiar part of life for independent retailers.
“We will continue to lobby the government, police chiefs, and police and crime commissioners for greater legal protection for everyone who works in retail.”
The NFRN had then expressed hope that the last debate, and the support the amendment received across the House, will encourage the government to table its own amendment to the Bill, guaranteeing support in the House of Lords and crucially, when the Bill returns to the House of Commons.
On 14 September 2021, the House of Lords had debated the main principles and purpose of the proposed Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill during its second reading. The bill aims to make changes across the criminal justice system, and the NFRN and other trade bodies have been consistently advocating for the inclusion of retail crime to be specifically named in the bill’s amendments.
During the second reading, parliament members discussed assaults on emergency and retail workers. Four Lords spoke in support of the adjustments for the bill to contain retail crime, including Baroness Williams of Trafford. Williams discussed the antisocial behaviour aspect of retail crime, saying “I share their concerns about the unacceptable increase, during the pandemic, of assaults on shop workers. There is already a wide range of offences that criminalise disorderly and violent behaviour that would apply in cases of violence towards people whose work brings them into contact with members of the public.
“These offences cover the full spectrum of unacceptable behaviour, from using abusive language to the most serious and violent offences. Nonetheless, the Government has agreed to actively consider whether legislative change is necessary and to bring forward any proposal if it is.”
Meanwhile, Lord Rosser discussed how the pandemic and lockdown restrictions have seen a rapid increase in retail crime, but he stressed it was not a new occurrence: “On retail workers, it is important to recognise that assaults are not just a problem born of the pandemic. Although the pandemic heightened it, this has been a rising problem faced by shop workers for many years.”
In October 2021, in the House of Lords, Baroness Neville-Rolfe and Lord Coaker tabled amendments aimed at giving retailers in England and Wales similar legal protection as retailers receive in Scotland, where attacking a shop worker is now an “aggravated” offense.
Representative iStock image of retail crime
Why associations want harsher laws
According to the BRC crime survey 2021, 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. Figures from the 2021 ACS Crime Report also show that there were over 1.1m incidents of theft over the last year, many of which were committed by repeat offenders with a drug or alcohol addiction. The report also shows that there have been over 1.2m incidents of abuse over the last year, which often go unreported.
“Our Shopworkers’ Protection Pledge, signed by over 50 cross-party MPs, called for politicians to stand with retail workers to support legislation to better protect them. That is why we have called for a standalone offence of assaulting a shopworker, deterring would-be criminals, and providing our colleagues with the protections they need. It has happened in Scotland – and now the Government must follow their lead in England,” said the British Retail Consortium (BRC) report.
“To date, the UK Government has resisted the proposal arguing that current laws on violence and abuse covering the general population, together with the potential for sentencing perpetrators with an aggravated offence, are insufficient. We reject that.” BRC said, “Our survey clearly shows that approach is not working. Only six per cent of attacks ever result in prosecution and an even smaller handful of three per cent in prosecution as an aggravated offence. Interestingly attacks resulting in injury represent six per cent of all attacks.”
The association believes that the introduction of a standalone offence for Emergency Workers has succeeded in ensuring such crimes are prosecuted. It would seem that even clearly illegal abuse for racial or sexual orientation is not being taken before the courts. Failure to prosecute means the victims do not ever get the opportunity to make a victim impact statement.
A standalone offence would also help to ensure that the true extent of the problem is understood by police and officials, as statistics would be recorded against this offence rather than against general offences without mention of the retail connection. Failure to prosecute undermines confidence in the police, which is reflected in the statistics on perceptions of the police response. While these have improved, they still stand at less than 50 per cent.
Other more detailed policies suggested in BRC crime survey 2021 that the Government should adopt include:
Set up a fund for innovative solutions for tackling violence in the retail sector
Include retail crime as a strategic policing priority with appropriate resourcing and prioritisation
A Home Office led strategic review of best practice for retail partnerships
A single online reporting tool
A Review of retail violence by the Police Inspectorate
Using the College of Policing to improve understanding of retail crimes of violence
Better recording of retail crimes of violence
Review of out of court disposals
Removal of reports of abuse and violence as a reason to reject a licence renewal
Increased penalties and sentences
Police and Crime Commissioners to make provision for retail violence in their Police and Crime Plans, making it a priority in their strategy.
Violence and Abuse Against Retailers: Timeline by ACS
March 2019: ACS, Home Office and retail sector launch #AlwaysReportAbuse campaign.
April 2019: Call for evidence on violence and abuse is launched, and receives responses from almost 3,500 interested parties, including retailers and colleagues that have been victims of abuse and violence at work.
March 2020: Yvette Cooper speakers at Retail Industry Parliament Reception on violence and abuse against shopworkers.
March 2020: Ten Minute Rule motion on Assaults on Retail Workers, proposed by Alex Norris MP, is passed and added to the register of Parliamentary business. The Bill is first scheduled to be debated in April 2020, but is subsequently delayed.
May 2020: Police and Crime Commissioner elections are delayed due to Coronavirus, currently scheduled to take place in May 2021.
July 2020: Government issues formal response to call for evidence on violence and abuse over a year after the consultation closed, stating that no changes to the law are necessary.
September 2020: Crime Minister Kit Malthouse writes to all Police and Crime Commissioners, reminding them of the importance of prosecuting shop theft offences under the value of £200 as well as those over £200.
December 2020: Home Affairs Select Committee launches new consultation, looking at whether the Government’s own response to its call for evidence was adequate.
February 2021: Scottish Parliament passes the Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-restricted Goods and Services) (Scotland) Act. The Bill was sponsored by Daniel Johnson MSP and introduced an aggravated offence for attacks on shopworkers
March 2021: ACS launches 2021 Crime Report, revealing that 89% of colleagues in stores have been the victim of abuse over the last year, with a total of 1.2m incidents of abuse recorded.
April 2021: ACS gives evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee, outlining the scale of the problem of violence and abuse against shopworkers.
April 2021: ACS, the Home Office, Crimestoppers and over 100 retailers and trade bodies come together to launch the #ShopKind campaign, funded by the Home Office.
May 2021: Second reading of Alex Norris’ Bill on Assaults on Retail Workers is once again delayed. A second reading date is yet to be set.
May 2021: Police and Crime Commissioner elections take place. ACS sets out a series of recommendations for Police and Crime Commissioners to encourage them to take retail crime more seriously.
June 2021: Shadow Policing Minister proposes an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Bill that would introduce a new offence for abusing a shopworker.
June 2021: Government rejects amendment to PCSC Bill, stating that existing legislation is adequate to deal with violence and abuse. Suggests that employers need to do more to increase reporting levels.
June 2021: Home Affairs Select Committee, led by Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP, publishes report on violence and abuse against retailers, calling for urgent action to address the problem. Recommendations include a new offence for attacking shopworkers, and a more formal response to incidents from police.
September 2021: Home Office responds the Home Affairs Select Committee report
November 2021: Amendments to the PCSC Bill related to attacks against shopworkers were debated and withdrawn.
Scottish business conglomerate Glenshire Group has hired Daniel Arrandale as its new Property Director.
Starting in the newly created role last week, Arrandale brings a wealth of industry experience to the business, including his most recent position as Acquisitions Manager for Asda and his previous position as Development Manager at EG Group.
“I am thrilled to be joining Glenshire Group in a period of tremendous growth, with many exciting opportunities on the horizon,” said Arrandale. “I’m looking forward to working with the existing development team to maximise the opportunities within our current estate, whilst also growing the business further with the acquisition of new sites.”
As part of Arrandale’s remit, he will oversee acquisitions, development, and growth for Greens Retail, Pizza Hut, and wider Glenshire Group property development and investment interests.
The bulk of Arrandale’s career has been as Retail Director at commercial agents Christie & Co, focussing on the convenience, forecourt and franchise markets. Arrandale served at Christie & Co. for 23 years.
Harris Aslam, Managing Director at Glenshire Group added: “We are very excited to welcome Dan into the Glenshire family. Having worked with Dan many times over the years on several transactions, I can confidently say his breadth of knowledge and experience in this sector will give us a huge advantage as we continue to expand our portfolio.”
Currently operating 27 convenience stores and 20 Pizza Hut franchises in Scotland, Glenshire Group has committed to significantly furthering new location openings in Scotland as well as bolstering their property portfolio.
Brewer Carlsberg is shifting some of its marketing focus to cheaper brands, it said on Thursday (31), as consumers in major markets bought cheaper beer and in reduced quantities.
The maker of Kronenbourg 1664, Tuborg and Somersby said beer sales volumes fell by 1.3 per cent in the third quarter, noting declines in China, France and the United Kingdom. Premium sales fell 0.5 per cent in the quarter."In Western Europe, there's no doubt that the average consumer is holding back," CEO Jacob Aarup-Andersen told Reuters.
"In Asia, China stands out as a market where the consumer is very weak. Most other Asian markets are actually okay," he said, adding the company had not yet seen Chinese stimulus measures having any impact on consumer behaviour.For years, brewers have relied on a strategy of developing and promoting their more expensive premium brands to offset an overall decline in drinking.
Aarup-Andersen said he remained confident in the long-term growth potential of premium beer and that the category will comprise a significantly larger portion of Carlsberg's business in a decade.For now, however, the company is adjusting its marketing.
"In markets where we are seeing a significant pressure on premium, we are reallocating some of our focus into making sure that we are promoting properly around the right mainstream brands," he said.
The world's third-largest brewer behind Anheuser-Busch Inbev and Heineken said third-quarter sales rose 1 per cent to 20.5 billion Danish crowns ($2.98 billion), compared with 20.7 billion expected on average by analysts in a poll gathered by the company.
Despite the shift in consumer behaviour, Carlsberg said it still expects full-year organic operating profit growth to be between 4 per cent and 6 per cent. The company lifted its full-year guidance in August.
Also on Thursday (31), the world's largest beer maker Anheuser-Busch InBev reported third-quarter profits, revenues and volumes behind forecasts. AB InBev's third-quarter statement highlighted stronger growth for its more expensive beers, like Corona, which grew 10.2% outside of its home market, Mexico, during the period.
Consumers now want a greater commitment from retailers in cutting food waste, refilling stations, sustainable packaging, and partnering with social purpose organisations, states a recent research, which also highlights that a good majority (69 per cent) of younger consumers are more likely to shop with what they see as socially responsible retailers though price sensitivity still plays a crucial role.
According to the findings, published in Vypr’s Consumer Horizon Report, reducing food waste is the most important factor for the majority of UK consumers (29 per cent), especially for Gen Z women aged 18-24 (38 per cent). More than a third (37 per cent) of men aged 18-24 said they needed food storage advice. A similar number of women aged 18-24 (33 per cent) want meal kits with the exact amount of ingredients included for them to cut down on food waste.
Refill stations for personal care, cleaning products, dry goods, and beverages are also in high demand. Consumers, particularly Gen Z women, are keen to use these stations, provided they offer a cost-saving of 6-10 per cent compared to packaged goods. The study indicates that older shoppers are less likely to use refill stations unless prices are reduced by 15 per cent or more, which Vypr said shows the importance of price in driving consumers to adopt sustainable shopping habits.
The third priority for brands and retailers is to adopt sustainable packaging. Awareness of eco-friendly packaging is high, especially among younger generations. Two-thirds of UK consumers say they expect to pay more for sustainably packaged products, and that figure rises to 86 per cent among Gen Z and Millennials. However, Vypr’s research suggests that while shoppers express willingness to pay more, price sensitivity still plays a crucial role.
Ben Davis, founder of Vypr, said: “There’s often a disconnect between consumer intentions and actions. Brands need to understand that simply offering sustainable options may not be enough if price points don’t match consumer expectations.
“For Gen Z and Millennials, sustainable products need to be competitively priced or risk losing long-term loyalty. We tested this by presenting products with and without the label ‘100 per cent Recycled Packaging’ and found price remained the key purchase decision-making factor for most consumers.”
Another factor in building loyalty among younger consumers is to showcase social responsibility. The research reveals that 60% of shoppers are more likely to shop at retailers that partner with food rescue organisations or promote a charitable cause. Among Gen Z and Millennials, this figure jumps to 69%, showing a strong preference for brands that demonstrate a social purpose.
The report also reveals that 85% of shoppers are willing to pay a deposit for reusable products, though it is younger consumers, particularly those aged 18-24 who express the strongest support for such initiatives.
The Consumer Horizon report which provides insights shaping retail, product innovation, and consumer behaviour going into 2025, can be seen here.
Sugro UK, the number one buying and marketing buying group*, in partnership with b2b.store, is thrilled to announce a further expansion of its existing E-Loyalty scheme programme, which has proven to be very popular with its members and retailers, by introducing E-Loyalty Extra Compliance and Execution scheme as well as E-Coupons.
The E-Loyalty Extra is aimed to boost compliance and execution at retail store level to drive new product launches, core range compliance, some exciting fixture trials with its supply partners and more! It will be available to all member owned and member affiliated retail stores within the group.
The E-Loyalty Extra loyalty scheme will be accessible by retailers via WhatsApp platform and will allow retailers to capture evidence of compliance by simply clicking “take photo” button.
With the addition of another digital enhancement introduced to the group recently – Coupon - based loyalty mechanic, members are now empowered to incentivise and reward customers, driving stronger consumer connections and fostering brand loyalty at a granular level. Retailers can now simply redeem a coupon at the point of check out. Another key digital development within the group is WhatsApp E-Presell which enables Sugro UK’s retail partners to provide advance product volume commitments for new product launches. This functionality is particularly powerful as it ensures that suppliers have accurate forecasts before product launches, enabling better stock availability from day one of product being available on the market.
The ease and speed of using WhatsApp for these commitments simplifies the presell process, ensures accuracy and strengthens relationships across the supply chain.
While other industry players may soon consider introducing similar digital tools, Sugro UK are proud to be at the forefront of enhancing retail-focused digital solutions. This early adoption not only ensures that Sugro UK members remain competitive but also guarantees them access to the best digital tools available in the market. These efforts are part of Sugro UK's ongoing commitment to delivering value to its members and empowering them with innovative solutions for growth and success in an increasingly digital retail environment.
Sugro Head of Commercial and Marketing, Yulia Petitt said: “I am delighted that Sugro UK members are now able to provide photographic evidence of retail compliance and in-store execution to our supplier partners, using a wide range of display and compliance criteria such as planograms, secondary displays, trials, and new product developments (NPDs).These digital features allow members to share real-time proof of execution, enhancing accountability and building supplier confidence. The launch of E-Presell functionality opens a huge digital advantage for the group which will benefit all – members, retailers and suppliers in gaining accurate forecast and ensuring product visibility in store from day one of product being on the market and with the ease of using WhatsApp, the entire pre-sell process becomes a much quicker and easier process to manage for all parties.
"The Group has had 18 consecutive years of growth and, once again, on track to deliver in 2024, with the year-to-date performance of +15% year on year and growth across all categories.” Rob Mannion, CEO of b2b.store, added: “The rate of innovation in the wholesale sector is increasing and these launches are further great examples of that. We’re particularly excited about the developments and different uses of WhatsApp in the industry, with more coming in the pipeline for 2025 – it’s a tool no wholesaler or buying group can afford to ignore because of the level of influence it’s having in the sector and there’s no sign of that direction of travel changing any time soon.”
Sugro UK is proudly owned by its 90 plus independent wholesale members, with a combined turnover of over £2.5 billion.
Expanding its footprint in the World Foods category, Paulig has acquired Panesar Foods, a prominent UK-based producer of sauces and condiments.
Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Tipton, Panesar Foods is a family-owned business with three production facilities, employing 308 staff and achieving a turnover of £59 million in the 2023 fiscal year.
This collaboration is expected to accelerate product launches and drive growth in diverse offerings, including sauces, salsas, marinades, dips, and condiments.
"We have collaborated with Panesar Foods for 17 years, and we are very pleased to welcome the company to Paulig," said Rolf Ladau, CEO of Paulig. "Today, our combined taste expertise and innovation skills unite around a shared ambition: to accelerate our international growth and expand our World Foods offerings."
Bill Panesar, CEO of Panesar Foods, expressed confidence in the partnership, stating, “As Panesar Foods becomes part of Paulig, I am confident that our ambitions for international growth will be realised, and the business will continue to thrive. We share a strong commitment to innovation and delivering high-quality, flavourful products, and I look forward to bringing even more delicious products to the market, together."
Jas Panesar, MD of Panesar Foods, echoed, “This partnership will allow us to reach new markets and deliver our authentic World Food flavors to a broader audience. We look forward to combining our passion for quality food with Paulig’s commitment to sustainability and innovation.”
All 308 Panesar employees will transition to Paulig’s team. Financial details of the transaction remain undisclosed.