The Central England Co-op has called for an end to retail violence after a member of staff was assaulted in Loughborough.
The store reports that its colleague required surgery following an incident during their shift in which they were punched in the face.
According to the convenience retailer, the attack occurred on October 10 when an attempted shoplifter entered the outlet and broke the worker’s jaw.
The company said that the incident serves to highlight its urgency in demanding better protection for retail staff and its “zero tolerance policy” against violence in its stores.
READ MORE: Central England Co-op rolls out staff body cameras in over 50 stores
The news comes as the organisation recently revealed a range of security measures for its locations, including security assistance buttons and tracking devices across a wider selection of products to tackle theft.
It has also rolled out staff body cameras in over 50 outlets.
It follows the retailer’s “Be Kind” campaign over the Covid-19 pandemic during which it encouraged customers to respect its colleagues as retail violence spiked across the country.
“Everyone at Central England Co-op has been shocked and appalled at this unacceptable incident in Loughborough where our colleague was attacked while just trying to do his job,” Co-op loss prevention advisor Karl Hall said.
“We are working closely with the local police force to bring the criminal responsible to justice.
“These types of incidents reinforce our ongoing campaign calling for better protection for shopworkers and highlights our zero-tolerance policy on all types of crime aimed at our colleagues and customers.”
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