Currys makes ‘largest ever’ investment in safety and security
Currys is making its largest ever annual investment in store safety measures as it looks to keep staff safe and deter shoplifters.
As part of this, the tech retailer is running its own nationwide ‘Safety Week’ which enables colleagues to learn more about its new initiatives whilst also encouraging them to share their views and concerns.
Subscribe to TRBCurrys is implementing a range of new technologies and safety programmes, including upgraded specification public display monitors in high-risk stores, trialling and rolling out new innovative approaches to product security, investment in intelligence collection and analysis, and increased spend on guarding and surveillance.
Colleague headsets are being introduced in all stores by the end of May following a trial across selected sites. The retailer is rolling out new laptop display clamps to deter theft.
With shoplifting at a record high, figures from the British Retail Consortium show that incidents of violence and abuse in 2023/24 rose to over 2,000 per day from 1,300 in the previous year.
Currys is also introducing crime reporting software to speed up and improve the accuracy of reporting and drive a focus on repeat offenders to prevent crime and reduce loss.
Lindsay Haselhurst, Currys chief operating officer said: “UK retail crime statistics make for difficult reading, as incidents of shoplifting and aggression against retail workers continue to climb.
“These are not victimless crimes; the worst cases leave colleagues and customers injured and traumatised. That’s why I’m really pleased to roll out a number of new programmes to increase colleague and product security in our stores, and welcome the new Crime and Policing Bill legislation.
“However, we know there is much more to be done and this must be a collaborative effort with all involved, including local police forces and Government.”
