Government must help put an end to scourge of retail crime, BRC

UK retailers are spending a record £1.2 billion on crime prevention. At the same time, however, the losses resulting from retail crime have climbed to £1 billion, which includes over £770 million from customer theft, according to the BRC.

The BRC is lobbying Parliament to introduce legislation that would make assaults on retail workers a specific criminal offence.

This is combined with calls for police forces across the UK to prioritise retail crime and improve their response to incidents. Money raised from this is often used by gangs to fund other criminal activities, it argues.

Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive at the British Retail Consortium, says: “Over 400 retail workers are subjected to violence or abuse in the workplace every day. These are not just statistics; these are real people who work hard for millions of customers every day. From abuse, to threats, to violence, those affected carry these experiences with them for a lifetime.”

“The government must help put an end to the scourge of retail crime. This means a stronger police response to criminal incidents, and new legislation to introduce tougher sentences for those who assault retail workers. No one should have to go to work fearing violence or threats.”

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