The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has called upon retailers to reveal their experiences of retail crime over the past 12 months to help gather information for the 2022 ACS Crime Report.
The survey will record the impact of crime on the convenience sector and colleagues working in stores, which would include the number of incidents and potential financial losses.
This comes after the 2021 Crime Report which revealed 89% of colleagues working in local shops have experience some form of abuse, with over 1.2 million incidents recorded that year.
The 2021 report stated that Covid-19 related abuse had become “one of the biggest issues facing retailers” and the one of the “top triggers of violence in store”.
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An increase in shop worker abuse has pressured the government to amend the controversial Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill to include a specific clause to criminalise violence and threats against retailers.
“Crime has a significant impact, not only financially, but physically, mentally and emotionally on those involved and these incidents are not part of the job,” said ACS chief executive James Lowman.
He went on to explain that the findings from the upcoming survey will inform the 2022 Crime Report. This will then be used to demonstrate the impact that crime has on the convenience sector to police, crime commissioners and central government.
“Last week, it was announced that an amendment will be tabled to bring forward tougher sentences to those who attack shop workers and while this is a step in the right direction,” he added. “We need to keep pushing the government to ensure that our colleagues get the protection that they so desperately need and deserve.
“We are urging all retailers to take the time to take part in this important survey so that we can ensure that the sector is represented, and that all your voices are heard.”
The survey is available here.
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