A Labour MP has called on the government to go further in tackling retail crime, warning that shop theft and abuse of retail workers continue to blight high streets despite recent legislative reforms.
Speaking during a Westminster Hall debate on government support for high street businesses, Daniel Francis, Labour MP for Bexleyheath and Crayford, said additional measures were needed to help retailers and improve safety in shops.
Francis, a former shop worker and member of the Usdaw parliamentary group, welcomed provisions contained in the Crime and Policing Act but argued that more action was required.
“I welcome measures in the Crime and Policing Act, but there is still much more we need to do to support [businesses], and I will continue to press,” he told MPs.
“My policing teams have done some great work on shoplifting. They do have more police numbers, but there's more the government can do to support our high streets and our businesses.”
The debate covered a range of issues affecting town centres and high streets, including the impact of retail crime on businesses, customers and shop workers.
Responding on behalf of the government, small business minister Blair McDougall acknowledged public concern over rising levels of shop theft and violence against retail staff.
“There is nothing, I think, has made people more angry in recent years than either experiencing or seeing on social media images of retail crime and shop workers being treated appallingly,” he said.
McDougall pointed to what he described as encouraging signs that efforts to tackle retail crime were beginning to have an effect, claiming that shop theft was starting to fall after sharp increases in recent years.
He highlighted the government's plans to strengthen neighbourhood policing through the recruitment of 13,000 additional personnel as a key part of the strategy.
The discussion comes as retailers continue to report high levels of theft, abuse and violence in stores, with retail crime remaining one of the sector's most pressing concerns.
The Crime and Policing Act introduces a number of measures aimed at tackling shop theft and protecting retail workers, including the creation of a standalone offence for assaulting a shop worker, the removal of the £200 threshold that previously influenced the handling of some shop theft offences, and the introduction of Respect Orders for persistent offenders.
Retail workers' union Usdaw welcomed the debate. Joanne Thomas, the union's general secretary, said: “There is no doubt that retail crime is having a severe impact on the viability of retail businesses. We welcome the Crime and Policing Act, … once the legislation is enacted, we need to ensure that it is enforced by working with the government, councils, police and retailers to improve the response to retail crime.”