Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Aug 02, 2025

UK’s leading retailers call for tougher laws to protect workers from ‘shocking upsurge in violence and abuse’

UK’s leading retailers call for tougher laws to protect workers from ‘shocking upsurge in violence and abuse’

One hundred of the UK’s most popular retail chains have asked Prime Minister Boris Johnson to support legislation aimed at combating violence and abuse against their workers, warning that the problem is only getting worse.

Executives from Tesco, Sainsbury’s, IKEA, Aldi, and other big-box stores wrote to Johnson urging him to back an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill that would tackle escalating abuse directed at retail workers. The bill is currently undergoing a review in Parliament.

The letter follows the release of a government report last week, which concluded that legislation was needed to protect shop employees from a “shocking upsurge in violence and abuse.”

Initiated by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), a trade group that represents large chains, the lobbying effort implores the prime minister and the country’s political leaders to act before the problem worsens. The letter has already received support from more than two dozen MPs.


The BRC’s most recent crime survey found that there were 455 cases of abuse against retail workers each day in 2019, representing a 7% year-on-year increase in incidents of violence. The issue has reportedly been exacerbated by the coronavirus crisis, with retail workers being subjected to abuse while trying to enforce sanitary rules and other Covid-19 measures.


One business reported a 76% increase in abuse and a 10% increase in violent attacks during the pandemic. Over half of the attacks involved a weapon, according to the BRC.

The trade organisation also cited testimonials from retail workers who said they had been “coughed at or spat on” during their shifts.

“Behind each of these statistics is a person, a family, colleagues and communities that have to cope with this trauma. No-one should go to work fearing for their safety, yet many retail workers have come to see it as part of the job – this can’t go on,” Helen Dickinson, the BRC’s chief executive, said.

Retailers have invested record amounts – £1.2 billion ($1.65 billion) in the past year alone – on bolstering security and implementing other crime-fighting measures, but these efforts appear to have fallen short.

Viral videos of altercations between customers and shop workers have become increasingly common in the UK and other parts of the world, with many of the conflicts sparked by anger over mask mandates or other Covid-19 rules.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
×