Retail staff suffer ‘appalling’ levels of abuse as cost of crime reaches £1.76bn

Incidents including racial and sexual abuse, physical assault and threats involving weapons soared to 850 per day in 2021/22 – up from the pre-pandemic level of 450 a day.

The survey revealed that customer theft alone cost the industry £953m and incidents totalled 8 million over the year.

Retailers spent £715m on crime prevention, which the BRC said was “critical in protecting colleagues” but resulted in higher prices for customers because of increased operating costs for businesses.

Despite the BRC securing an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act in 2022 to try to better protect retail workers, its use is not currently tracked by the Home Office and the BRC said it is impossible to know if the changes are having any impact.

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: “The pandemic has normalised appalling levels of violent and abusive behaviour against retail workers.

“While a confrontation may be over in minutes, for many victims, their families and colleagues, the physical and emotional impact can last a lifetime. 

“To make the UK a safer place to work, the Home Office must improve its reporting around the amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, and the police must prioritise adequately resourcing retail crime.

“Surely everyone deserves the right to go to work without fear.”

The BRC has called on police and crime commissioners nationwide to “advocate for retail crime to have a higher priority and more resourcing in local policing strategies”.