Avoid “life sentence” of violence and abuse for shop workers, retailers urge government

A coalition consisting of more than 30 major retail businesses have written to the prime minister urging him to use the proposed Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Bill to deliver greater protection for all frontline shop workers.

The retailers, along with unions and trade and industry bodies, have also urged MPs to help avoid “shackling over three million shop workers to a life sentence” of violence, abuse and anti-social behavior” by backing an amendment to the government’s flagship crime bill.

Despite repeated pleas from retailers and trade groups for stiffer penalties for those committing assaults and attacks on shop workers, the government is so far rejecting the calls stating that “it remains unpersuaded of the need for a specific offence.”

“We all recognise that the issue of violence and abuse is still getting worse. The British Retail Consortium estimate that more than 400 retail workers are physically attacked every day while the Association of Convenience Stores estimate that 89 per cent of shop workers in local shops were verbally abused in 2020,” the retail chief executives noted in the letter to the prime minister.

“Therefore, we would encourage you and your government to use the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill to provide the legal protection that retail workers deserve. The Bill provides you with an opportunity to ensure that in every part of the UK they have the protection they need.”

In Scotland, the Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-restricted Goods and Services) Act became law in February 2021 following a unanimous vote, which makes attacking a shop worker a specific offence, while assaults or abuse relating to the sale of age-restricted products – such as alcohol or tobacco – also become an aggravating factor in law, attracting higher penalties for perpetrators.

As the Assaults on Retail Workers (Offences) Bill presented by Alex Norris MP fell at the end of the last parliamentary session, retailers are now urging the government’ to change its mind and bring forward an amendment – or new clause – to its PCSC Bill.

Meanwhile, a new report prepared in response to the white paper on the bill has identified clear opportunities to encourage the government to legislate to protect and support shop workers.

The new research – written by Dr Emmeline Taylor and funded through the Co-op’s Safer Colleagues, Safer Communities, campaign – stresses that in light of the increase in the frequency and severity of assaults against shop workers, it is understandable that those working in the retail sector are also calling for similar legislation to protect them.

“The bill introduces better protections for emergency workers. Given the alarming frequency and severity of assaults against shop workers, an amendment to the bill to include them would signal that these crimes will be taken seriously,” Dr Taylor said.

James Lowman, the chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores, said: “Retailers and their colleagues faced over a million incidents of verbal abuse and thousands of attacks over the last year, despite keeping their communities going throughout the pandemic.

“We are sending a clear message that these incidents will not be tolerated, and that those who attack shop workers will not reoffend. The government has been considering tougher sentencing as part of a range of measures to deal with violence and abuse for a long time – we need action now.”

Signatories to the letter include:  

Co-op, ALDI, Association of Convenience Stores, ASDA, Bensons for Beds, Bira, Boots UK, British Retail Consortium, Central England Co-operative, Chelmsford Star Co-operative, Dixons Carphone, East of England Co-op, CEO, Greggs, Homebase UK and Ireland, Iceland & The Food Warehouse, John Lewis, Lakes and Dales Co-op, Lidl GB, Marks & Spencer, McColls Retail Group, Morrisons, Moto Hospitality, Nisa, Pets at Home, Post Office Limited, Radstock Co-operative, Sainsbury’s, Southern Co-op, Tesco, The Midcounties Co-operative, Waitrose and WHSmith