National Retail Crime Steering Group

Violence and Abuse against Shop Workers

National Retail Crime Steering Group

Violence and Abuse against Shop Workers

The National Retail Crime Steering Group, co-chaired by the BRC and Home Office Minister for Crime and Policing, Kit Malthouse MP brings together retailers, government officials, police, and trade associations to work together to combat retail crime especially crimes of violence against shop workers. 

Violence and abuse against retail staff is at a record high with over 400 incidents per day. With the need to encourage customers to wear face coverings and observe social distancing, this figure has only increased during the pandemic. Before Covid-19, the Government issued a call for evidence to assess the situation. Many responses supported a new offence of abuse and violence towards shop workers, similar to the new law in Scotland. While the Government rejected the call for a new offence, the Policing Minister set up four task and finish groups to look at specific issues. 

Retailers, the police, and other stakeholders have now worked together to produce practical solutions and resources to help reduce the number of violent and abusive incidents. The work has been welcomed and endorsed by the Home Office and was discussed during a webinar with the Minister for Crime and Policing, retailers and policing professionals.

The Task and Finish Groups covered four key areas:

1.   Reporting – how to ensure all these crimes are reported and recorded.

2.   Overcoming barriers to data sharing – how to ensure that data protection rules are observed when exchanging information while overcoming the perception they are a potential barrier.

3.   Supporting victims – practical solutions for ensuring that all victims receive the necessary support from businesses and other services.

4.   Communications – ensuring the public realise how unacceptable such abuse is with a national #ShopKind campaign.

 

The conclusions of the groups should be of interest to retailers, store colleagues, police, Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs), officials and other policy makers and are intended to assist retailers and help shop staff feel safer. There is also practical advice in an animation on how to de-escalate potentially violent situations – with an animation produced for the BRC by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust. On this page, you will also find assistance for victims through links to various organisations and a link to all the materials available to use and download on the #ShopKind campaign. 

The Minister for Policing, Kit Malthouse, has expressed his thanks to all task and finish groups for their contributions and continued support. The knowledge and experience of task and finish group members has been invaluable in developing these resources, providing further insight into the issues highlighted in the Call for Evidence and working collaboratively to explore solutions.

To access the on demand recording of the webinar "Reducing Abuse and Violence Against Shop Workers" register below.

The National Retail Crime Steering Group, co-chaired by the BRC and Home Office Minister for Crime and Policing, Kit Malthouse MP brings together retailers, government officials, police, and trade associations to work together to combat retail crime especially crimes of violence against shop workers. 

Violence and abuse against retail staff is at a record high with over 400 incidents per day. With the need to encourage customers to wear face coverings and observe social distancing, this figure has only increased during the pandemic. Before Covid-19, the Government issued a call for evidence to assess the situation. Many responses supported a new offence of abuse and violence towards shop workers, similar to the new law in Scotland. While the Government rejected the call for a new offence, the Policing Minister set up four task and finish groups to look at specific issues. 

Retailers, the police, and other stakeholders have now worked together to produce practical solutions and resources to help reduce the number of violent and abusive incidents. The work has been welcomed and endorsed by the Home Office and was discussed during a webinar with the Minister for Crime and Policing, retailers and policing professionals.

The Task and Finish Groups covered four key areas:

1.   Reporting – how to ensure all these crimes are reported and recorded.

2.   Overcoming barriers to data sharing – how to ensure that data protection rules are observed when exchanging information while overcoming the perception they are a potential barrier.

3.   Supporting victims – practical solutions for ensuring that all victims receive the necessary support from businesses and other services.

4.   Communications – ensuring the public realise how unacceptable such abuse is with a national #ShopKind campaign.

 

The conclusions of the groups should be of interest to retailers, store colleagues, police, Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs), officials and other policy makers and are intended to assist retailers and help shop staff feel safer. There is also practical advice in an animation on how to de-escalate potentially violent situations – with an animation produced for the BRC by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust. On this page, you will also find assistance for victims through links to various organisations and a link to all the materials available to use and download on the #ShopKind campaign. 

The Minister for Policing, Kit Malthouse, has expressed his thanks to all task and finish groups for their contributions and continued support. The knowledge and experience of task and finish group members has been invaluable in developing these resources, providing further insight into the issues highlighted in the Call for Evidence and working collaboratively to explore solutions.

To access the on demand recording of the webinar "Reducing Abuse and Violence Against Shop Workers" register below.