Attacks on retail shop workers to become separate criminal offence

Assaulting a shop worker will become a separate criminal offence in England and Wales following a recent wave in retail crime. 

Government said it will introduce the new offence in its Criminal Justice Bill currently being considered in parliament, after months of campaigning from retail businesses and staff. 

The impact of retail violence has steadily worsened over time with the British Retail Consortium (BRC) estimating incidents reached over 1,300 per day last year, compared to 870 the year before.

Helen Dickinson , chief executive of the BRC, said:“After relentless campaigning for a specific offence for assaulting retail workers, the voices of the three million people working in retail have finally been heard.

“Retailers are playing their part, spending over £1bn last year on crime prevention measures. Government has taken action, and it is vital that the police use this new legislation to step up their response to incidents.”

Assault of specific abuse of a shop worker has been a criminal offence in Scotland since 2021. 

Now in England and Wales, perpetrators could be sent to prison for up to six months, receive an unlimited fine and be banned from going back to the shop where they committed their crimes. 

For the most serious cases of assault, such as causing grievous bodily harm with intent, offenders could face a life sentence.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was “sending a message to criminals”.

He said: “Since 2010, violent and neighbourhood crime in England and Wales has fallen dramatically, showing our plan to keep our streets safe is working. Yet shoplifting and violence and abuse towards retail workers continues to rise.”

“I am sending a message to those criminals – whether they are serious organised criminal gangs, repeat offenders or opportunistic thieves – who think they can get away with stealing from these local businesses or abusing shopworkers, enough is enough.”

Shirine Khoury-Haq, chief executive of the Co-op, said: “This announcement will resonate with shopworkers the length and breadth of the country.

“As a Co-op, we exist to make a genuine difference for our 5 million member owners and the issues they care about. This change shows the true power of co-operation, with our Co-op member-owners having called for this urgent change to ensure no shop worker should face violence or abuse as part of their job.   

She added: “It will make a real difference to the lives of not only thousands of our Co-op colleagues, but also shopworkers across the nation and it sends a strong and clear message to shopworkers that they have been listened to, and a warning to criminals that their unacceptable behaviour will no longer be tolerated.”