The publication of the Crime and Policing Bill yesterday has received a warm reception from the retail industry.
The Bill, which mainly applies to England and Wales, includes a number of measures to tackle retail crime, including assault against shopworkers being made a standalone crime (as is already the case in Scotland) and the scrapping of the £200 shoplifting threshold.
Paul Gerrard, Campaigns, Public Affairs & Policy Director at the Co-op Group, said:
“The Co-op has campaigned for this moment for eight years and during that time we have hosted hundreds of MPs, done thousands of interviews, given evidence to Parliament at every opportunity and become the leading business and retail voice on the issue.
“Like every campaign we run, we do so in partnership and it has been a privilege to be able to work with and support Paddy Lillis and Usdaw Union on this campaign.
“Of course, we need to make sure the criminal justice intervention is the right one that prevents reoffending, which may be a custodial sentence but very often will not be. However, as we have learnt from Scotland, a standalone offence means a better police response and will keep shopworkers safer.
“That is why we did it – to keep colleagues safe.”
Katie Secretan, Retail and Sales Director at Nisa, said:
“It has been shocking to see the rising levels of abuse, threats, and violence Independent Retailers and their teams have faced whilst simply doing their jobs; this legislation is a vital step in recognising the seriousness of these crimes and ensuring a stronger police response is in place to protect those on the frontline.
“Whilst recognising enforcement must be fair and consistent across the sector – independent stores must not be overlooked. All too often, these retailers struggle with a lack of police response and support, despite their central role in local communities.
“It is with thanks to the dedication of campaigners, led by our Co-op, progress is being made. But there’s still more to do – ensuring the criminal justice system prevents reoffending and continuing to support shop workers in every way possible.
“This week, we recognise a hard-fought victory for retail workers’ safety and respect.”
Paddy Lillis, Usdaw general secretary, said:
“Usdaw has long campaigned for legislative measures to combat the growing problem of retail crime, theft from shops and the abuse of retail staff. Retail workers are responsible for enforcing various laws around age-restricted sales and it is only right that they have additional protection in law. So, we are delighted that the Government has listened and is today introducing the Crime and Policing Bill, with measures to address these significant issues.
“We now look forward to a much-needed protection of retail workers’ law; ending the indefensible £200 threshold for prosecuting shoplifters, which has effectively become an open invitation to retail criminals; and funding for more uniformed officer patrols in shopping areas, along with Respect Orders for offenders. We will review the details for the provisions and look forward to engaging with the Government as the Bill goes through Parliament to ensure that it provides all retail workers with the protections and respect they deserve.
“The scale of the epidemic of retail crime has a very direct impact on the viability of stores, as retailers go to increasing lengths and expense to make them secure and safe. Communities are blighted by anti-social behaviour and store closures. Staff are working in fear of the next incident of abuse, threats or violence.
“It is increasingly common for retail stores to be targeted by organised crime gangs stealing to order. This is in no way a victimless crime, with weapons and violence used to ensure these criminals are not stopped. Having to deal with repeated and persistent offences can cause issues beyond the theft itself, like anxiety, fear and physical harm to retail workers. The Crime and Policing Bill provides a great opportunity to make a real difference to retail workers’ lives.”
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.”
