Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

Independent retailers urge PM to crack down on violence against shop workers

Over 65 leading retailers and industry bodies have made an impassioned plea to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to tackle the increasing number of physical and verbal attacks on shop workers.

Senior retail leaders, including ACS, NFRN and SGF chiefs, on Thursday (4 February) have written to the prime minister calling for legislation to make assaulting shop workers a separate offence, the same as in Scotland.


The letter urges the government “to treat the issue with the seriousness it deserves and improve protection for our employees by creating a new statutory offence of assaulting, threatening or abusing a retail worker.”

Attacks on retailers and their staff have been a growing trend for some time. In March last year, the annual British Retail Consortium crime survey reported that over 400 incidents of violence or abuse were occurring daily.

Major triggers for these incidents included challenging customers for ID when purchasing age restricted items or encountering shoplifters.

Nearly a year on, the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the situation and has caused a dramatic spike in such incidents. Retailers have reported being verbally and physically assaulted, coughed at and spat at for trying to implement government rules regarding the wearing of face coverings in shops.

"Independent retailers have been and continue to be at the frontline during this crisis, and have to deal with physical and verbal threats on a near daily basis for simply doing their jobs," commented Stuart Reddish, NFRN national president and one of the signatories.

"These are not victimless crimes - they have a serious impact on people who have been injured or experienced psychological trauma, as well as their families and the communities they serve.

"The time has come for the government to take immediate action and toughen the law to protect shop workers across the whole of the UK."

The letter has been signed by: ALDI, Ann Summers, ASDA Stores, Association of Convenience Stores, B&Q, Bensons for Beds, BIRA, Burger King, Booksellers Association, Boots UK, Bravissimo, BRC, Card Factory, Carpetright, Cath Kidston, Central England Co-operative, Costa Coffee, Costcutter Supermarkets, Debenhams, Dixons Carphone Group, Dune Group, Greggs, Harvey Nichols, hmv, Homebase, Iceland Foods, IKEA UK, JD Sports, John Lewis, KFC, Lidl GB, L’Occitane, Marks & Spencer, McDonald’s, McKesson, Mountain Warehouse, Music Industries Association, NFRN, Pets at Home, Post Office, Poundland, Primark, Reiss, Richer Sounds, Sainsbury’s, Savers Health and Beauty, Schuh, Scottish Grocers’ Federation, Scottish Midland Co-operative Society, Screwfix Direct, Seasalt, SPAR UK, Starbucks UK, Studio Retail, Superdrug Stores, The Body Shop, The Co-operative Group, The Fragrance Group, The Perfume Shop, Timpson, USDAW, Vision Express, Waitrose, WHSmith, Wickes Building Supplies, WM Morrison.

More for you

Budget 2024: Local shops to face significant new pressure

(Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

(Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Budget 2024: Local shops to face significant new pressure

Local shops will face significant new pressures as a result of today’s Budget, the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has warned.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves' budget's impact will be felt unevenly across the UK’s 50,000 convenience stores, with some measures such as business rate relief and the increased employment allowance mitigating costs for smaller independent stores, while providing no help for chains and larger independent businesses.

Keep ReadingShow less
Post Office cash deposits and withdrawals
Post Office, DPD partners to rollout ‘Click and Collect’ services
Post Office, DPD partners to rollout ‘Click and Collect’ services

Parliament to launch inquiry into Post Office Horizon scandal compensation delays

Parliament is to launch an inquiry into delays in compensation settlements for sub postmasters affected by the Horizon scandal.

The newly-formed Business and Trade Select Committee will call ministers, subpostmasters and their lawyers to give evidence next week with a second session to follow in mid-November. The Committee’s chair, Liam Byrne MP told ITV News that there was “definitely a delay” in people coming forward for payment.

Keep ReadingShow less
C-store body warns of 'inflation-busting increase in wage costs'
Woman Holding British Pound
Getty Images/iStockphoto

C-store body warns of 'inflation-busting increase in wage costs'

Convenience store body Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) today (30) has warned the Chancellor about the negative effects of the new National Living Wage (NLW) increase, a day after the Chancellor announced a pay rise for over 3 million workers next year, with NLW rates rising by 6.7 perc cent.

From April 2025, the NLW will increase from £11.44 to £12.21 while 18-20 National Minimum Wage will rise by £1.40 per hour to £10 - the largest increase on record, marking the first step towards a single adult rate.

Keep ReadingShow less
Bacup Wine and Convenience shop, 34 Burnley Road, Bacup.

Bacup Wine and Convenience shop, 34 Burnley Road, Bacup.

Robbie MacDonald via LDRS

Shop’s licence bid rejected over illegal vapes and ‘no regard’ for children’s safety

A Rossendale shop has had a licence bid rejected after repeatedly selling vapes to children and having illegal products on its premises.

Management at the Ibra Superstore at 34 Burnley Road, Bacup, have shown ‘no regard’ for children’s protection and safety, and have insufficient controls for licensing, Rossendale councillors have ruled.

Keep ReadingShow less
SPAR retailer hits target to secure £100,000 free stock from James Hall

SPAR retailer hits target to secure £100,000 free stock from James Hall

SPAR North of England retailer Dara Singh Randhawa’s family store has been awarded £100,000 of free stock after hitting all his targets since moving to the symbol.

Dara and his family, who have their SPAR store in Patrington in the East Riding of Yorkshire, joined SPAR through its association with James Hall & Co. Ltd in August 2023 having taken the decision to maximise the store’s potential.

Keep ReadingShow less