According to the British Retail Consortium, there has been a sharp increase in the number of retail workers experiencing violence at work in recent years. In consequence, new legislation is being considered that will reform the retail industry and provide retail workers with the protection they need.
Read on to find out more about the potential changes, what this is likely to mean in practice, and how employers can prepare for its implementation.
Retail Workers Protection: Does The Industry Need to Reform?
Over the past few years, violence has become increasingly prevalent within the retail industry. According to the British Retail Consortium, incidents of violence or abuse towards retail workers rose from 870 to 1,300 per day in the past twelve months alone. This demonstrates a shocking 475,000 incidents across the country in a single year.
Figures in the Crime Survey Report 2024 show that only 36% of violent or abusive incidents were reported to the police. This was mainly due to a shortage in staff time or a lack of expectation that it would make a difference. Furthermore, only 8% of the incidents led to prosecutions, with just over half of those prosecuted being convicted. Overall, the number of retail workers who rate police response as poor rose from 44% to an alarming 61%.
The British Retail Consortium has used these data to bolster its ongoing campaign for protecting retail workers. It would seem that the latest figures have certainly had a positive effect in this regard. It is hoped that the new legislation will reform the retail industry and provide greater workplace health and safety for retail workers.
What Do The New Legislative Changes Aim to Achieve?
For the first time, the government is looking to make the assault or abuse of retail workers a specific criminal offence. This will be set out in the new Crime and Policing Bill, with serious offences potentially resulting in a life sentence.
The Scottish national government introduced a similar offence back in 2021 that appears to have worked. Post implementation, Scotland has seen a significant increase in the number of prosecutions for violence against retail workers.
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Here, those convicted of three separate incidents will be required to wear an electronic tag to track their movements. Additionally, the legislation will also introduce tougher sentences for those guilty of shoplifting. The reforms are expected to act both as a deterrent and a supportive mechanism for those retail workers who have experienced such conduct.
Implementing Retail Worker Protection Reforms: Employer Responsibility
The introduction of new legislation is a crucial step to improving workplace health and safety for retail workers. However, engagement and implementation by employers are equally important for better health and safety at work in the retail industry.
It is essential that employers understand the issues which retail workers encounter on a regular basis. For this purpose, employers should consider consulting with their retail workers via managers and HR teams.
Furthermore, employers should aim to create an open workplace culture, encouraging retail workers to provide feedback on a daily basis. Only by building a picture of the behaviour their retail workers have experienced can employers implement appropriate measures to combat it.
Establishing a firm stance against violent, threatening, and abusive behaviour towards retail workers in their organisations is crucial. Company policies should ideally reflect what constitutes unacceptable behaviour, the procedure retail workers should follow if such behaviour occurs, and how it will be managed by the employer.
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In addition, employers should ensure that managers have adequate training to understand their role and assist retail workers in their teams. Conflict resolution training would be helpful for this purpose. Plus, investing in technologies to enable enhanced communication and support may also prove helpful/
It will be vital for all instances of violent, threatening, and abusive behaviour towards retail workers to be reported to the police. The police can only investigate and potentially prosecute incidents of which they are aware. As such, it will be the employer’s responsibility to ensure that this happens, setting the standard which other employers will follow.
Retail Workers Should Share Responsibility for Creating a Safer Workplace
Many retail workers seem to feel that experiencing violent and abusive behaviour at work is “all part of the job”; but that should not be the case. Everyone has the right to feel safe and secure in their workplace and to enjoy high standards of workplace health and safety. Introducing these new reforms and positive engagement, and proper implementation by employers should help achieve this in the retail industry.
However, it is not all the responsibility of employers. Retail workers, too, will have a responsibility to ensure that the new legislation proves effective in enhancing their health and safety at work. They should familiarise themselves with the reforms and any training provided by their employer.
Ensuring that all instances of violent, threatening, and abusive behaviour are reported, and the right procedures followed will also help with this.
Protection of Frontline Staff in all Industries is Crucial
News of the reforms has been greeted with enthusiasm from many in the retail industry. The legislation is expected to improve the levels of health and safety at work which retail workers should be able to expect.
Ken Murphy, CEO of Tesco, is enthusiastic about the reforms to the retail industry. He previously wrote to The Times newspaper about his concerns for health and safety at work for retail workers. He stated that the legislation would: “send the strongest of signals to the perpetrators of these crimes and give our teams in England and Wales the protection already afforded to their colleagues in Scotland.”
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Others are hoping that these reforms to the retail industry are a first step to providing greater protection for all frontline staff. Retail workers are only one type of employee who sadly experience violence and abuse in their roles. In Kent and Sussex, there were over 1,700 instances of violence and abuse towards hospital staff over twelve months, the BBC reported.
Those working in the care sector might hope that similar legislation to afford them better health and safety at work may follow in due course.