Employees at Tesco are being offered body cameras due to an increase in violent crime, according to its chief executive.
Writing in the Mail on Sunday newspaper, Ken Murphy called for stricter laws around assaults on retail workers, and said the chain has seen physical assaults rise by a third since last year.
His insights reflect those of fellow retailer the Co-op, which reported in July that physical assaults on shop workers had increased by almost a third, while antisocial behaviour or abuse incidents have gone up by a fifth.
Similarly, the British Retail Consortium has reported increases of retail theft of 27% in the UK’s largest cities, rising to 68% in some areas.
Retail violence
Murphy said Tesco had invested £44 million in the past four years on security measures such as door access systems, protection screens and digital radios. Other chains investing in protective technology include Sainsbury’s and Waitrose.
In 2022, after a campaign by retailers and the Usdaw union, the government made attacking shop workers an aggravating factor in convictions, meaning those who assault retail employees face up to double the maximum sentence.
In Scotland, abuse or violence towards retail workers is an offence in itself, and Murphy has called for a change to the law to make abuse of retail workers illegal across the UK.
“Judges should make use of this power. But we need to go further, as in Scotland, and make abuse or violence towards retail workers an offence in itself,” he wrote.
Paddy Lillis, Usdaw general secretary, said such “high-level” support for stricter laws around violence against retail workers was welcome.
“The situation is getting worse and action is needed,” he said.
“There is no doubt that body-worn cameras do have a deterrent effect and we are supportive of such measures aimed at reducing violence, threats and abuse at work.
“Staff wearing cameras need to be properly trained and the public must be fully aware they are in use, to act as a deterrent to would-be attackers.
“Faced with such appallingly high levels of violence and abuse, much more needs to be done. There must be better coordination to ensure that government, retail employers, police and the courts work together to help protect shopworkers, giving them the respect they deserve.”
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
HR roles in retail and wholesale on Personnel Today
Browse more HR roles in retail and wholesale
