Violence and abuse towards store staff declined by a fifth final yr, however retail leaders say crime ranges stay far increased than earlier than the pandemic and proceed to pose a critical risk to workers security.
New figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Sensormatic Options present there have been 1,600 incidents of violence and abuse towards retail staff day by day in 2024/25, down from 2,000 each day incidents the earlier yr. That equates to round 590,000 incidents over the yr.
Regardless of the development, the BRC warned that the speed stays the second highest on document and effectively above the pre-pandemic common of 455 incidents per day.
Bodily violence confirmed little change, remaining at 118 incidents a day, together with 36 each day instances involving a weapon.
The info additionally reveal 5.5 million incidents of store theft final yr, costing retailers near £400m. The true complete is prone to be considerably increased, given many thefts go undetected.
For the primary time, the report included parcel supply theft, which value retailers greater than £100m in 2024/25.
Trade leaders say organised felony gangs are more and more focusing on high-value items that may be simply resold, finishing up systematic thefts throughout a number of shops.
Helen Dickinson, chief government of the BRC, mentioned the discount in violence was “arduous received” however warned that theft and abuse stay endemic. “Nobody ought to go to work fearing for his or her security,” she mentioned.
The federal government’s forthcoming Crime and Policing Invoice will introduce a selected offence for assaulting a retail employee, alongside scrapping the £200 threshold that beforehand restricted police response to low-value shoplifting.
Sarah Jones mentioned the federal government was decided to sort out retail crime and highlighted a 21 per cent rise in store theft expenses.
The laws comes amid broader considerations about excessive avenue viability. Retailers are additionally contending with rising employment prices, together with increased nationwide insurance coverage contributions and will increase to the nationwide dwelling wage.
Usdaw common secretary Joanne Thomas mentioned that whereas the autumn in incidents was welcome, retail staff nonetheless face unacceptable dangers. Two-thirds of assaults on workers are triggered by theft or armed theft, union information recommend.
Retailers have spent greater than £5bn over the previous 5 years on safety measures together with CCTV methods and extra personnel, in line with the BRC.
Regardless of the slight enchancment, campaigners and unions argue that violence and theft stay at disaster ranges, with many store staff reporting heightened stress and nervousness about going to work.
