Retail chiefs raise issue with Holyrood as shoplifting soars
SCOTTISH retail leaders have again highlighted to politicians the rising levels of violent and abusive crime being faced by store workers.
The moves come as police figures on recorded crime in Scotland for the year to the end of June 2024, published today (Tuesday 27 August), show shoplifting increased by 34% compared to the previous year (from 30,202 to 40,554 crimes).
And such offences have increased by 50% from the year ending June 2020 (from 27,045 to 40,554 crimes).
Retailers Against Crime (RAC) and the Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF) have recently revamped the Don’t Put Up With It! campaign – a move backed by ScotGov Community Safety Minister Siobhian Brown.
And the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) has worked with Scottish Tory crime spokesperson Sharon Dowey MSP on a motion calling on Holyrood and Westminster governments to make addressing retail crime a priority.
Brown said: “Retail workers provide an invaluable service to all of us and any kind of abuse or violence is unacceptable.”
SGF chief exec Pete Cheema said the Don’t Put Up With It! initiative had an important role to play in raising awareness and providing support for retailers.
He added: “We need to see much more being done. The unfortunate truth is that it’s more than just shop windows being shattered, it’s people’s lives.”
RAC boss Maxine Fraser said: “People should not have to go to work in their local community and regularly experience threatening behaviour.
“We have a simple message to everyone who is faced with the terrible impact of retail crime on their business and their staff – Don’t Put Up With It! Report it!”
SRC director David Lonsdale said: “It’s great to see 23 MSPs from right across the political spectrum get behind our calls for retail crime to be higher up the priority list of both government and law enforcement.”
But referring to the latest disappointing shoplifting figures, Lonsdale went on: “It’s appalling that shoplifting has soared by a third. Despite record spending by retailers on crime prevention the rate of thefts continues to rise.
“In fact, these figures won’t even capture the full picture as many thefts aren’t reported by retailers who are sceptical that action will be taken.
“Shoplifting isn’t a victimless crime. Shoplifting is the main factor behind abuse and threats towards shop workers and we know from member feedback that thieves are becoming bolder and more aggressive.
“The financial costs too are enormous and are ultimately borne by shoppers themselves – in some cases through higher prices on shop shelves.
“With a swathe of new mandated rules in the pipeline or under consideration, and which may lead to more flashpoints in store, the SRC wants tackling crime against retailers to be made a greater priority by the authorities, including in the Scottish Government’s Strategic Police Priorities, to ensure our shops are made safer.”
