Co-op calls for action to tackle attacks against shop workers

The Co-op has called for stronger protection for shop workers in the face of rising attacks.

The latest quarterly figures from the Co-op show 2,500 incidents of verbal abuse and anti-social behaviour across the UK, with 600 violent incidents over the same period – one in four violent incidents involved a knife, gun or other weapon – whilst figures reported by The British Retail Consortium show that every day, including weekends, 115 people are attacked, with many more threatened, across the industry.

Throughout 2018, a number of Co-op stores in the Rochdale borough were targeted in a spate of armed robberies with shops in Castleton, Littleborough, Norden, Rooley Moor Road, and Whitworth affected.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/124931/cctv-footage-released-of-armed-robbery-in-castleton
• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/124270/police-have-released-cctv-images-following-an-armed-robbery-in-rochdale
• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/122263/armed-robbery-at-norden-coop
• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/119596/armed-robber-sentenced-to-13-years-imprisonment

Co-op Food’s CEO, Jo Whitfield, has now called on the government to create a new offence, which would carry higher penalties for attacks where the shop worker is enforcing the law on age-restricted sales, such as cigarettes or alcohol, a review of existing sentences handed down to attackers, new guidelines on sentencing for such offences and a major boost to police resources to help protect communities and their shop workers.

Jo Whitfield, Co-op Food CEO, said: “More needs to be done and the issue needs to be about the human cost, the physical and emotional impact to shop workers and their families, not the cost to business.

“What frustrates me most is that this is talked about as a crime against a business, but it’s not. We can replace stock, but it is not as easy to repair the physical and emotional well-being of a colleague, whose confidence is shaken and who feels afraid to come in to work because of rising levels of violence and abuse in our communities.

“We must take action and work together to re-think our approach to this issue in order to ensure people feel safe when they turn up for work.”

Paddy Lillis, general secretary of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers, Usdaw, said: “Life on the frontline of retail can be pretty tough for many shopworkers and there is still a lot to do to help protect them.

“We launched our Freedom From Fear Campaign in the face of growing concerns amongst retail staff about violence, threats and abuse.

“As part of the campaign we work closely with the Co-op to promote respect and we welcome their investment in staff safety.

“Retail staff have a crucial role in our communities and that role must be valued and respected, they deserve the protection of the law.”

Last year Co-op launched the Safer Colleagues, Safer Communities campaign, and is working to raise awareness of the issue.

The Co-op has invested over £70M - and has committed to match this over the next three years – in innovative technology to keep its colleagues safe, including the installation of the latest remote monitored CCTV; communication headset devices rolled-out to all front-line colleagues and, the targeted deployment of SmartWater Fog Cannons.

The retailer has also removed the sale of knives from its stores.

The government has opened a ‘call for evidence’ following pressure from Usdaw, the Co-op and retailers’ representative organisations like the Association of Convenience Stores, British Retail Consortium and National Federation of Retail Newsagents.

As part of its consultation, the government is seeking the views of organisations and individuals who wish to contribute to their understanding of the problem of violence and abuse toward shop staff in England and Wales.

This consultation closes at 11pm on 28 June 2019.

Submissions can be made online at:

• www.gov.uk/government/consultations/violence-and-abuse-toward-shop-staff-call-for-evidence or
• www.usdaw.org.uk/HOsurvey