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Retailer donations rise three-quarters in last four months for Nisa’s charity

MADL Charity, Making a Difference Locally Charity
Donation from Nisa Local Deansbrook Road, Edgware

Nisa said its retailers donated £289,072 to good causes via the Making a Difference Locally (MADL) charity between July and October.

The amount represents a 74 per cent increase when compared with the same period last year, the symbol group noted, adding that the number of individual donations in this period has also seen a strong uplift, rising 47 per cent to 577.


The total amount donated between August and September alone almost doubled from last year’s figure, while in October more than £110,000 was donated, an 87 per cent increase on the same month in 2020.

Donation from Stans Superstore to Lyneal Trust via MADL Donation from Stan's Superstore to Lyneal Trust

The significant increase follows an already strong year of retailer donations, with almost £1.2m given to good causes during MADL’s last financial year, which came to a close at the end of June 2021.

Kate Carroll, Nisa’s Head of Charity said: “Community has become more important than ever before and engagement from Nisa partners has continued its strong momentum throughout the year.

“We’re delighted that good causes have benefited from almost £290,000 in the last four months alone and we expect to see lots more charitable giving and activity within Nisa partners’ local communities in the run up to Christmas and beyond.”

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A whopping ninety-one per cent of respondents to a survey conducted by the Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed) called for more police patrols on streets, while a similar number - 90 per cent - said that shoplifters should be handed harsher sentences.

Seven out of 10 respondents (72 per cent) said their stores had experienced shoplifting, break ins and damage to property, while they and their staff had been physically or verbally threatened.

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Forty-four per cent reported that they and their staff had faced abuse or violence because they had refused to make a proxy sale – selling an age restricted product to a customer buying for a minor.

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“Inadequate responses from the police and a slap on the wrist for offenders means that shoplifting is soaring, and offenders are becoming more aggressive and brazen,” said Fed National President Mo Razzaq.

“From the responses we received, it is clear that real action is needed by police, by courts and by the government to stem the overwhelming tide of crime against retailers and their staff. Everyone deserves to feel safe at work and for their businesses to be protected against criminals.

“Fed members are also sending a clear message that one of the catalysts for verbal and physical abuse in stores is asking for proof of age before selling an age restricted product. If the government presses ahead with its plans to phase out smoking and vaping through a progressive ban to gradually end the sale of tobacco products across the country, independent retailers will be subject to even greater levels of violence, abuse and theft.”

Calling for action from the government and not just words, Mr Razzaq continued: “Without effective deterrent, criminals and opportunistic members of the public will continue to commit crimes.”

According to Ministry of Justice statistics, during the year to March 2024, 431 fines were handed out for retail theft under £100, while Home Office statistics for the same period show that 2,252 cautions were accepted for shoplifting.

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