Retail Trust and Auror launch new technology partnership as Crime and Policing Act becomes law in the UK

The charity Retail Trust is working with ​Auror to call on retailers to explore crime reporting technology that helps staff record abuse and theft and enables their employers to identify repeat offenders across stores, to support the UK Crime and Policing Act’s crackdown on retail attacks and theft.

Auror’s platform is used by retailers to record crime in their stores after it happens in a secure and structured way, which helps them connect crimes to repeat and organised offenders which were previously seen as isolated events. That information is then used to collaborate with police forces across the country.

Chris Brook-Carter, Chief Executive at the Retail Trust, says: “The Crime and Policing Act could make a real difference to the millions of people serving their communities every day who tell us they are intimidated, threatened, shouted at and assaulted when they are just trying to do their jobs.” 

“But the new measures will only work if shop staff feel confident enough to report what is happening to them. One in four retail workers have told the Retail Trust they do not report abuse and crime to their manager or the police, often because they have been put off by a previously unhelpful response.”

“We’re working with hundreds of retailers, police forces, and other partners across the country to make it easier for staff to report incidents and get the right support to feel safer at work. Many more must now get behind our combined efforts and our charity’s Let’s Respect Retail movement to provide this help for retail workers and ensure that abuse and crime are never accepted as just part of the job.”

“Abuse and crime have been having a devastating impact on shop workers’ lives and damaging their confidence, wellbeing and sense of safety long after their shifts have finished. They now need to see that when incidents happen, they will be taken seriously, supported afterwards, and not left to deal with the consequences on their own.”

Mark Gleeson, Auror VP United Kingdom and Europe, says: “This partnership will help us continue to highlight the high volume and serious nature of retail crime, the immeasurable impact it has on the three million retail workers across the UK every day, and how we can address this problem together through stronger collaboration and technology.”

“UK retailers are leading the way in providing their store teams with crime reporting tools like Auror that allow for structured reporting to connect the dots on the highest harm offenders. Police do an incredible job and we should all want them to be as efficient and effective as possible. Retailers using Auror to share information with police to help focus their precious resources is critical if we are to deal with this high volume, high violence crime.”

“Retail crime is not victimless - it is not shoplifting, it’s violence, abuse and intimidation, and it can seriously tear away at the vibrancy of our high streets. One in ten events involve a frontline colleague being assaulted, abused or threatened with a weapon. That’s why we’re on a mission alongside our partners like Retail Trust, to reduce violent retail crime by 50% in five years.”

2026 RTIH Innovation Awards

Retail security will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.

Check out our 2025 winners here.

Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”

“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”

He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”

Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.