// Government urged to make attacks on shop staff a specific criminal offence
// Home Affairs Committee says the “patchwork” of existing legislation was not adequate to address rising abuse towards shop workers
// Committee also says the police response to such attacks failed to match the extent of the problem
MPs are urging the government to make attacks on shop staff a specific criminal offence amid a “rising tide of violence and abuse” against workers in retail.
The Commons Home Affairs Committee said the “patchwork” of existing legislation was not adequate to address the escalating scale of attacks.
It called for shop workers to be given additional protection in law in the same way as emergency service workers and customs officers.
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The committee said it had received evidence of a “shocking rise” in attacks over the past five years, with the Association of Convenience Stores reporting that 89 per cent of staff in local shops had experienced some form of abuse.
Staff were particularly vulnerable as they were responsible for enforcing laws with regard to age-restricted sales and restricted goods, with disputes often a trigger for violence and abuse.
However, in its report the committee said the police response to such attacks failed to match the extent of the problem.
“On far too many occasions retail workers are being left alone to manage dangerous situations which put both their physical and mental well-being at risk,” the report said.
“Other categories of workers, such as emergency workers and customs officers, have rightly been afforded extra protection by the law in recognition of the service they provide to the public and the responsibility placed upon them by Parliament.
“We believe that retail workers must also be recognised, and that offences against them must be treated with additional seriousness, with extra protection from the law.
“It would send a clear, powerful and long overdue message that abuse and violence towards retail workers will not be tolerated.”
Speaking to Radio 4’s Today programme this morning, Home Affairs select committee chairwoman Yvette Cooper said making attacks on shop staff a specific criminal offence would show that government and Parliament take it seriously.
“One of the other things we have seen is the abuse has increased during the Covid crisis and that’s particularly shocking and disturbing,” she said.
“We have workers who are on the front line making sure we could get food on the table, making sure we could get medicines from the shops, and yet during that crisis we are seeing an increase in spitting, in verbal abuse and assaults.
“That’s why we think if you have a new offence of assault on shop workers that would be a very strong signal from Parliament, from the government, that this needs to be taken much more seriously and we need a stronger police response.”
The committee’s report was welcomed by the BRC which suggested the government could act through an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill currently going through Parliament.
“Shop workers have suffered for far too long,” said BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson.
“Notwithstanding the evidence, the Government has repeatedly rejected numerous calls to protect retail workers through the creation of a specific offence.
“We hope this report will prompt the government to finally do what is necessary to protect retail staff from harm across the country and stop dragging its feet.”
with PA Wires
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