Ministerial assurances are not enough when the Government has effectively decriminalised shoplifting says Usdaw

Jim McMahon MP (Labour/Co-op, Oldham West and Royton) asked: “New figures released by the Co-op Group show that a staggering 300,000 incidents of shoplifting, abuse, violence and antisocial behaviour in Co-op stores have been reported this year alone. Surely the best way to stop violence against shopworkers is to make it a stand-alone offence, as requested by the Labour party, the Co-op party and the Usdaw trade union.”

Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “We’ve heard these tough words and vague assurances over the years from a variety of Government Ministers, but they never amount to the action that is needed to protect retail staff. There is an epidemic of shoplifting sweeping through retail and all too often that triggers violence, threats and abuse against shopworkers.

“Much of our concerns around growing retail crime is about underfunding of the police and a failure to get offenders into court. There are too few uniformed officers patrolling the streets and our members tell me they very rarely see the police in their stores. The policy of issuing fixed penalty notices for thefts under £200 results in too few of these crimes being investigated and prosecuted.

“Last month’s Government announcement that fewer ‘low-level offenders’ will be sent to prison, only add to the impression that shoplifting has effectively been decriminalised. We were also disappointed not to see any new legislation in the King’s Speech to tackle a 25% increase in police recorded shoplifting, much of which is driven by criminal gangs with links to the illegal drugs trade.

“Usdaw and retail employers have jointly called for the Scottish protection of workers law to be extended to the rest of the UK, which is also supported by Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper. A similar law was proposed in the House of Commons and rejected by the Government. It is time for them to reverse their opposition, to demonstrate that assaulting a shopworker is absolutely unacceptable.”