Retailers are calling on the UK government to follow Scotland’s example of enshrining better protections for frontline staff into law.

Houses of Parliament

The Protection of Workers Act came into force in Scotland today (Tuesday 24 August), which makes abusing or assaulting retail staff a standalone, criminal offence.

The British Retail Consortium [BRC] and shopworkers union Usdaw now want similar legislation passed in the rest of the UK.

There is currently legislation being considered that would offer this protection in the UK. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill will go to the House of Lords with its second reading on September 14. 

The BRC has called on peers to use this and the following debates as an opportunity to give retail staff the protection they deserve.

’Stabbed, spat or coughed on, threatened with weapons’

“Enough is enough,” said BRC boss Helen Dickinson. “Too often I hear stories of people working in retail being stabbed by syringes, threatened with weapons, spat or coughed on – government must take this issue seriously. 

Co Op staff

“While victims are left traumatised, perpetrators roam free, with most crimes going unprosecuted. We call on Peers in the House of Lords to consider using the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill and the following debates to deliver better protection for our colleagues.”

Usdaw general secretary Paddy Lillis, said shop workers face “violence, threats and abuse” on a regular basis. Violence and abuse of retail staff has been exacerbated by frontline workers being asked to enforce coronavirus safety measures such as mask wearing and social distancing in-stores, Usdaw added.

In July, 100 retail bosses from the UK’s largest retailers wrote an open letter to the prime minister calling for a creation of a standalone offence

Abuse on the increase

The BRC’s annual crime survey found that at the beginning of 2020, there were over 450 incidents of violence and abuse every day, a 7% rise on the previous year. While the data is not yet available for 2021, the BRC said instances of abuse and violence against staff have only increased further. 

“Retail workers have done an incredible job supporting us throughout this pandemic; they should not have to go to work fearing for their safety. We have campaigned long and hard for retail workers to receive better protections through a standalone offence, and we will not stop until our asks are met,” said Dickinson.