BRC to lead emergency meeting as retail workers ‘fear stores and their safety’

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) will chair an emergency meeting with its members as retailers across the UK are hit by widespread rioting.

The trade association has warned that many retailer workers “have been heading to work fearing their stores and their safety could be compromised,” as Sainsbury’s, Iceland and Greggs stores have been impacted by looting and vandalism.

According to Retail Week, the BRC is understood to be contacting member organisations and is provisionally scheduling a meeting for Wednesday.

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BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: “Some are already seeing the impact, as they spend their day cleaning up the damage caused by these selfish and criminal acts.

“Teams of retail colleagues across the industry work tirelessly side by side, to serve customers day in day out, performing a vital role across all local communities. This is only possible if colleagues and customers can safely visit their local stores.

“The full force of the law should be brought to bear on those individuals who are committing criminal damage and theft against retailers and the communities they are part of.”

This week, videos have been circulating on social media, showing many retail stores being  ransacked in the rioting.

A Sainsbury’s Local in Manchester was forced to shut after rioters “stormed” the store as eyewitnesses said a mob was “grabbing items and throwing them”, while looters can be seen smashing the windows of an Iceland store in Middlesbrough, where the shutters had been forced open.

In response to the riots, Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has also issued a statement, ensuring it would “provide help and guidance to retailers and colleagues during this time”.