Kirith Entwistle MP asked: “For retail workers, the busy Christmas season is overshadowed by shoplifting, which Usdaw’s latest survey identifies as the leading trigger of abuse, threats and assaults. Police officers welcome this Government’s commitment to clampdown on low-level shoplifting and prosecuting repeat offenders. What more can the Government do to tackle shoplifting and support retail workers and businesses during this critical holiday season?”
The Prime Minister responded: “I have spoken to many who work in our shops who are very concerned about shoplifting. Because of the approach taken by the previous Government, it went out of control; we are bringing it under control. It’s not low-level; it has a huge impact on customers and has a particular impact on staff. That’s why we are dedicating funding to training police and retailers and supporting specialist analyst teams to crack down on the gangs that are targeting retailers.”
Paddy Lillis – Usdaw general secretary says: “Retail crime, theft from shops and abuse of staff are real concerns for our members and we welcome that they have been highlighted at the highest level with the Prime Minister. Keir Starmer’s response shows that we have seen a complete change in the government response, under Labour, to a significant increase in theft from shops, which has doubled since the pandemic and risen by 29% in the last twelve months. This contrasts with 14 years of the Conservatives refusing to support the calls from Usdaw and many major retailers for significant action.
“We are pleased that the new Labour Government announced a Crime and Policing Bill in the King’s Speech. This new legislation will deliver a much-needed protection of retail workers’ law; end the indefensible £200 threshold for prosecuting shoplifters, which has effectively become an open invitation to retail criminals; along with introducing Respect Orders for repeat offenders. The Chancellor announced in the Budget funding to tackle the organised criminals responsible for the increase in shoplifting, as Keir Starmer highlighted. Last week, the Prime Minister announced funding for 13,000 more uniformed police officers, patrolling our communities and high street. It is our hope that these new measures will help give shop workers the respect they deserve.”
Notes for editors:
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is one of the fastest growing unions in the TUC and the UK's fifth biggest trade union with around 360,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemical industry and other trades www.usdaw.org.uk
Crime in England and Wales statistics show that in the year to March 2021, there were 228,250 police-recorded incidents of shoplifting. That rose by 106% to 469,788 in the latest stats for the year to June 2024.
Interim results of the Usdaw’s 2024 survey, based on 4,073 responses, show that: 69% were verbally abused, 45% were threatened. 17% of shop workers had been assaulted. Of those who were abused, threatened or assaulted, 70% said that shoplifting was the trigger, and their assessment of the underlying issues was 64% related to a drug and/or alcohol addiction. The final results of the survey will be published in March 2025.
Usdaw’s Freedom From Fear Campaign seeks to prevent violence, threats and abuse against workers by engaging the public, shop workers and the Government.
www.usdaw.org.uk/Campaigns/Freedom-From-Fear
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Bluesky @usdawunion.bsky.social and Twitter/X @UsdawUnion