Government finally agrees to tougher sentences for assaults on shopworkers

The statement received a warm welcome from the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS), which is among those who have been pressing for a more severe deterrent for attacks on retail workers.

The Home Office notified the National Retail Crime Steering Group, of which ACS is a member, that an amendment has been tabled which would make attacking a retail worker an aggravated offence, resulting in tougher sentencing for offenders.

The Government has previously indicated on several occasions that it would consider an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in the Lords to address the issue of tougher sentencing, but always stopped short of doing anything.

The ACS, shopworkers union USDAW, the Co-operative and others have repeatedly called on the Government to act.

The ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “We strongly welcome the tabling of this amendment, which the retail sector has been calling for over a number of years.

“It’s essential that the penalties for attacking a shopworker act as an effective deterrent.

“Introducing tougher sentences for those who attack people providing a service to the public, including shopworkers, marks a significant step forward, but it does not solve the problem by itself.

“We need to ensure that abuse is not seen as part of the job and that all incidents are reported, and in response, Police and Crime Commissioners must prioritise crimes committed against retailers and their colleagues.

“We must also put the right interventions in place to stop those with substance and alcohol dependencies from reoffending.”

In briefings to MPs and Peers throughout the passage of the Bill, the ACS has outlined the scale and impact of violence and abuse against shopworkers, with more than 40,000 shopworkers experiencing violence and 89% experiencing verbal abuse over the past year.

Figures from the 2021 ACS Crime Report also show that there were over 1.1m incidents of theft over the last year, many of which committed by repeat offenders with a drug or alcohol addiction.

The report also shows that there have been over 1.2m incidents of abuse over the last year, which often go unreported.

There is a clear link between theft and abuse, with challenging shop thieves being one of the top triggers for escalating incidents of abuse and violence in store.

Polling conducted for the #ShopKind campaign shows that more than a third of customers have witnessed violence and abuse against shopworkers.

The amendment is due to be debated during the Report stage of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in the House of Lords, scheduled to take place later this month.