Tesco has given its delivery drivers DNA testing kits to help police trace abusive customers who spit at them in a bid to clamp down on staff assaults.

Workers have been asked to report any assaults to police and the grocery giant’s security team, and to share DNA evidence with investigators, The Telegraph reported.

The kits were first added to delivery vans during the pandemic, though sources told the title they have been in place for a few years, but had previously gone unreported.

In the year to March 2024, a total of 443,995 shoplifting offences were reported by police forces, marking a 30% increase on the previous year

Last year, Tesco began offering every store worker access to a body camera. It has also invested in protective screens and digital radios to protect workers.