One in five people witness retail violence or abuse
A new survey has found that more than 14 million people in the UK have witnessed violence or abuse against retail workers in the past year.
According to a new BRC-Opinium survey data, one in five people have seen incidents such as racial or sexual abuse, physical assault or threats with weapons while shopping.
Subscribe to TRBMeanwhile, nearly a quarter of people (23%) have witnessed shoplifting compared to 24% last year. Retailers say organised criminal gangs are increasingly targeting high-value goods, that can easily be resold.
Separate BRC data shows that retail workers experienced 1,600 incidents of violence and abuse every day last year. This is the second highest level on record despite a slight fall on the previous year. This included 118 daily incidents of physical violence and 36 involving a weapon.
Retailers have spent an estimated £5 billion fighting retail crime over the past five years, including CCTV, more security personnel, anti-theft devices and body worn cameras.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “For too many people, violence and abuse are now part of the shopping experience. An incident might last seconds, but for workers and bystanders, the impact can last a lifetime.
“The Crime and Policing Bill is an important step in towards protecting retail workers and tackling crime. But as drafted, it falls short.
“Retail workers in England and Wales deserve the same protections as those in Scotland, including delivery drivers. Everyone in a customer-facing role should be protected – no exceptions.”
