Starmer introduces bill to protect retail workers, crackdown on shoplifting

Local stores have welcomed Labour government's support to retail workers against crime and assault though have also expressed concern over proposed restrictions such as sale of energy drinks.

The Kings’ Speech is the first major opportunity for the new Labour Government to set out its legislative agenda for the coming year. While there are a number of new Bills included in the speech, there are also several measures that have been revived from the previous Parliament.

These include legislation to introduce a generational tobacco ban and restrict the availability of vaping products (Tobacco and Vapes Bill) and introduce a new separate offence for assaulting a retail worker (Crime and Policing Bill).

A summary of some of the key legislation announced in the Kings’ Speech relevant to convenience stores, listed out by Association of Convenience Stores, includes:

Crime and Policing Bill: Create a new specific offence of assaulting a shopworker and introduce stronger measures to tackle low level shoplifting. Bring forward arrangements to get neighbourhood police and Police Community Support Officers back on the beat in local communities.

Get dangerous knives and other weapons off the streets by banning ninja swords and other lethal blades, and introducing strict sanctions on senior executives of online companies who fail to operate within the law.

Tobacco and Vapes Bill: introduce a progressive smoking ban to gradually end the sale of tobacco products across the country (including herbal smoking products and cigarette papers). Children born on or after 1 January 2009 will never be able to legally be sold cigarettes, preventing the next generation from becoming hooked on nicotine.

Stop vapes and other consumer nicotine products (such as nicotine pouches) from being deliberately branded and advertised to appeal to children meaning they are only available as a tool to help smokers quit. The Bill will provide Ministers with powers to regulate the flavours, packaging, and display of vapes and other nicotine products. These steps will help stop the next generation from becoming hooked on nicotine.

Employment Rights Bill: Intended to deliver on Labour’s commitment to ‘make work pay’ by banning exploitative zero hours contracts; strengthening in-work benefits such as statutory sick pay, parental leave and protection from unfair dismissal; making flexible working the default from day one for all workers; and establishing a single enforcement body known as the Fair Work Agency, to strengthen enforcement of workplace rights. In addition to the provisions of the Bill, the Government is also planning to remove the age bands for the National Living Wage and introduce a ‘genuine living wage’ that accounts for the cost of living.

Product Safety and Metrology Bill: Intended to update the rules on product safety and weights and measures to ensure that the UK can keep pace with technological change and product innovation post-Brexit.

The Kings Speech also included reference to Labour manifesto commitments on banning the sale of energy drinks to under 16s, and introducing a ban on the advertising of HFSS (high fat, salt or sugar) products to children, although these were not specifically attached to new legislation.

ACS chief executive James Lowman said, “We strongly welcome the Government’s commitment to take action on the assaults of retail workers, which local shops have been calling for over many years. We are also encouraged by the specific reference to tackling shoplifting, which is the blight of so many communities and funds the activity of gangs, addicts and dangerous criminals.

“There are a number of measures that retailers will have to change their stores and processes to accommodate, including those set out in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, the Employment Rights Bill and the Product Safety and Metrology Bill, as well as the plans to restrict the sale of energy drinks.

"It is essential that the Government works closely with the retail sector in this parliament to ensure that these measures can be introduced effectively, without the unintended consequence of delaying or reversing growth and investment by businesses.”

The full text of the Kings’ Speech is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/the-kings-speech-2024

A full list of the Bills announced in the speech is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/669791c549b9c0597fdafe63/King_s_Speech_2024_background_briefing_notes.pdf