According to Police Scotland, there have been nearly 8,000 reported cases of abuse and assaults on retail staff in the past two years. These alarming figures were revealed at a recent meeting of lead retail representatives, where the Scottish Grocers Federation (SGF) received cross-sector reports indicating that shop theft has doubled in recent months, compared to the same period in 2022.
In an effort to address this concerning trend, the Protection of Workers (Retail) Act, which SGF supported, came into force in August 2021. Since then, the Act has been utilized 7,955 times to report cases of abuse or assault specifically targeted at retail staff and retailers, as reported by Police Scotland up until August 29th, 2023.
These statistics are particularly troubling given the increasing prevalence of shop theft, which is often linked to organized crime groups. Additionally, there have been reports of staff resigning due to safety concerns and estimated losses of millions of pounds for local businesses.
Recognizing the urgency of the situation, SGF has reached out to the Scottish Government, the Lord Advocate, the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service, and the Courts & Tribunal Service, urging them to make public the statistics on convictions related to the Protection of Workers Act. This crucial information is necessary to demonstrate the Act’s effectiveness as a deterrent.
Unfortunately, despite over 2,600 cases having been referred to the Fiscal, none of the aforementioned public bodies have been able to provide or even retain the data pertaining to convictions.
Speaking at the SGF Annual Conference in Glasgow, Chief Executive Dr. Pete Cheema OBE emphatically stated, “Enough is enough. It is time for Ministers to stop sitting idly by and take meaningful action to address the rampant retail crime plaguing Scotland from end to end.”
Dr. Cheema continued, “It is not just shop windows that are being shattered, but people’s lives, livelihoods, health, and mental wellbeing. The shocking level of retail crime experienced by the convenience sector is unacceptable, and our justice system provides little support.
“Law enforcement officers and our courts are overstretched, and criminals and organized groups now believe they are immune to repercussions.”
Dr. Cheema further highlighted the contradiction between the First Minister’s claim that crime is at a fifty-year low and her assertion that retailers bear the responsibility for underreporting. He emphasized, “SGF encourages all of our members to report every crime, but this is meaningless if the police fail to respond and lack the resources to apprehend and convict offenders.”
He added, “No one should have to go to work knowing they are likely to face threats, abuse, or violence. Recent reports from our members reveal that it is not just a bottle of wine or two going missing; entire shelves and kiosk counters are being emptied at knifepoint.”
Without immediate action, the situation is poised to deteriorate further.
According to SGF’s annual Scottish Retail Crime Report, 100% of respondents experience shop theft on a daily basis, and all encounter abuse, violence, or Hate Crime with regularity.
Moreover, SGF has proposed to the Scottish government the revitalization of their collaborative campaign with Crime Stoppers, titled ‘Don’t Put Up With It.’ However, ministers have cited a lack of available funding to renew the campaign.
