Responding to the Crime and Policing Act receiving Royal Assent, Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the BRC, said:
“The new Crime and Policing Act is a long-overdue turning point in the fight against retail crime. With 1,600 incidents of violence and abuse every single day and 5.5 million thefts a year, the extraordinary levels of retail crime cannot be accepted as simply part of the job.
“The BRC, alongside others, have campaigned relentlessly for these changes. Stronger laws on assault and theft will send a clear warning to would-be offenders, but laws alone won’t keep retail workers safe. What matters now is consistent, visible police enforcement so colleagues can genuinely feel safe and protected at work.
“Implementation must be swift: the police need to use the full extent of these powers, while stepping up their presence in stores, so that anyone assaulting our colleagues or stealing from stores faces the full force of the law.”
