Retailers welcome law change to crack down on abuse of store staff

A government amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill would mean courts would view assaults committed “against a person providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing services to the public” as an aggravating factor.

Retailers have long wanted tougher measures to protect staff from abuse and assault – a problem that has become even worse over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Following news of the amendment, Co-op Food chief executive Jo Whitfield tweeted: ”Delighted that an amendment has now been tabled by the @ukhomeoffice to make an attack on shopworkers an aggravated offence. Our store colleagues are the heart of our business and absolutely deserve this Thank you to everyone who has supported our campaign to achieve it”

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: ”We welcome the government’s proposed amendment, which means that people who commit violent offences against retail workers can receive tougher sentences for their crimes.

”By tabling this amendment, the government has signalled that it understands the seriousness of the issue facing retail workers, 455 of whom are abused or attacked every day at work.

”If the police prosecute all reported violent incidents as aggravated offences and the courts sentence those convicted accordingly, retail workers will feel better protected, would-be offenders may be deterred, and we will begin to see the true scale of the problem faced by our hardworking colleagues.”

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