“We cannot go on like this”: Tesco makes big security measures investment as abuse of staff surges
Tesco has rolled out body worn cameras for frontline employees following a spike in verbal and physical attacks.
This is part of a multi-million pound investment over the last four years on security measures such as door access systems, protection screens and digital radios.
The grocery giant has seen physical assaults increase by a third since last year.
This mirrors research by British Retail Consortium (BRC) which found abuse against retail staff had almost doubled compared to pre-Covid levels.
In an article published in The Daily Mail, Tesco Chief Executive Ken Murphy said: “Money spent on making sure people are safe at work is always well spent, but it should not have to be like this. Crime is a scourge on society, and an insult to shoppers and retail workers. It is time we put an end to it.”
He called for a change in the law to make abuse or violence towards retail workers an offence across the UK. “We cannot go on like this,” Murphy commented. "I want those who break the law in our stores brought to book.”
"After a long campaign by retailers and the union Usdaw, last year the government made attacking shop workers an aggravating factor in convictions - meaning offenders should get longer sentences.”
“Judges should make use of this power. But we need to go further, as in Scotland, and make abuse or violence towards retail workers an offence in itself."
Murphy also called for better links between police forces and businesses to prevent crime in the first place.
“Gangs take advantage of the fact we do not share enough information. We’ll only be able to stop these thugs if we work together.”
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