ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has reiterated calls to the Government to take urgent action to protect shopworkers from violence and abuse.
During a Westminster Hall debate on the Protection of Retail Workers, led by Mike Amesbury MP, there was agreement from MPs that there should be a specific new offence for attacks against someone serving the public.
Speaking in the debate, Gareth Thomas MP said: “We require shopworkers to uphold legislation passed by Parliament so the least we can do is make sure we protect those same workers”.
Also speaking in the debate, Bill Esterson MP said: “I hope the Minister will have some good news in a few minutes’ time in response to the call for evidence, because 115 retail workers have been attacked every day since it closed... The Association of Convenience Stores estimates that 300,000 retail workers have been either attacked or threatened in that time. In responding to the debate here on 5 November, the Policing Minister described the levels of crime as ‘obviously unacceptable’.”
The 2019 ACS Crime Report shows that challenging shop thieves, enforcing an age restricted sales policy and refusing to serve intoxicated customers were the top three triggers for aggressive and abusive behaviour in stores. The report estimates 83% of staff working in convenience stores having experienced some form of verbal abuse.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “The impact if violent attacks on our colleagues is the most serious problem facing our members. These incidents have significant and lifelong effects on the individual’s professional and personal life. It is completely unacceptable colleagues are facing incidents of violence and abuse simply while trying to do their job. There have been hundreds of thousands of incidents of crime committed against colleagues working in our sector since the Home Office’s call for evidence closed. We need to see urgent and effective action from the Government to protect shopworkers and send a clear message that violence and abuse will not be tolerated.”
Closing the debate, Crime Minister Kit Malthouse confirmed that the government will publish its response to the Home Office’s call for evidence next month.
There were over 800 responses to the call for evidence on Violence and Abuse Toward Shop Staff from businesses and individuals highlighting the both the financial and human cost of crime.
The full debate can be found here: https://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/abd0ed7d-8942-4528-ba39-a0f6b0395c40
ACS has been working with the Home Office, USDAW and the Co-op on the #AlwaysReportAbuse campaign to raise awareness about the human impact of crime against shopworkers and to encourage colleagues to report incidents when they occur. The campaign materials are available here.
