H&M has become the latest retailer to equip UK staff with body cameras as part of efforts to tackle soaring shoplifting and violent attacks on workers.
The Swedish fashion giant is trialling the technology at stores in Edinburgh, Wood Green, and Beckton, London, amid growing concerns about organised theft and abuse in shops.
A H&M spokesman told This is Money: “We’re testing this new technology in a three-store pilot to assess what beneficial impact it may have, along with proper staff customer service training, on de-escalating and reducing incidents for the safety of both our colleagues and customers.”
The small wearable cameras clip onto staff clothing and record incidents in real time, providing crucial evidence to the police.
-
Related Story
-
H&M joins other major retailers including Tesco, the Co-op, and Lidl, which have introduced bodycams following a spike in shoplifting and violent incidents.
The British Retail Consortium reports shoplifting incidents rose 20% last year, with violent and abusive episodes against staff hitting 2,000 daily.
Despite heavy investment in security — £1.8bn industry-wide last year — shoplifting and staff assaults continue to rise. Retailers have also adopted new measures like anti-theft devices on everyday groceries and databases sharing images of prolific offenders to support police action.
In September 2023 Tesco chief Ken Murphy revealed that all frontline staff would be offered bodycams after a surge in attacks.
Labour has pledged to make assaults on retail workers a distinct offence under the upcoming Crime and Policing Bill, with potential sentences of up to six months in prison.
The BRC’s Graham Wynn said: “The police must get tougher on retail crime, ensuring that all incidents are attended to and followed up on, while the Government must ensure swift passage of the Bill to protect retail workers.”
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper also announced plans to deploy more police officers to towns across Britain this summer to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.
Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette‘s free daily email newsletter
