{$inpagemarkup}

Search News

Results: 1-10 of 650


Small Business Strategy Inquiry 2025 - ACT and Bira call for members to share their voice

20 Jun 2025

The House of Commons Business and Trade Committee has asked the ACT, and its parent company Bira, to help them reach out to small business retailers across the country, for their quick input on... Read more…

Beyond the discount: Restoring integrity to the cycle supply chain

18 Jun 2025

The Association of Cycle Traders believes the time has come for greater accountability throughout our supply chain, writes ACT Director Jonathan Harrison in an article published for BikeBiz.
Read more…

Bira welcomes Wales' business rates proposals but calls for key improvements

11 Jun 2025

Bira has welcomed the Welsh Government's consultation on business rate reforms for retail shops, whilst calling for significant improvements to ensure the proposals truly support high street... Read more…

New awards launch to champion Britain's independent high street heroes

9 Jun 2025

Retailers on Britain's high streets are being encouraged to put themselves forward for the first-ever Love Your High Street Awards, designed to celebrate the small businesses that bring... Read more…

"Tectonic shift" in employment law threatens independent retailer viability, warns Bira podcast

6 Jun 2025

Independent retailers are facing a "generational" transformation of employment law that could fundamentally change how small businesses operate, according to the final episode of Bira's first... Read more…

Retailers hope warm weather and bank holidays will boost high street sales

16 May 2025

ACT parent company Bira has said that members are hopeful the warm weather, Easter weekend and upcoming bank holidays will provide a much-needed boost to high street sales.
Read more…

Economic growth surges to 0.7%, but "April reality check" looms for high street retailers

15 May 2025

UK economy delivers strongest quarterly performance in a year despite forecasts of business downturn.
Read more…

Communities come together for Local Bike Shop Day 2025 celebrations

13 May 2025

Local Bike Shop Day 2025 brought a wave of... Read more…

ACT parent company Bira welcomes Bank of England's latest interest rate cut

8 May 2025

ACT parent company Bira has welcomed the Bank of England's decision to reduce interest rates from 4.5% to 4.25%, calling it a "much-needed boost" for the retail sector, including for cycling... Read more…

ACT parent company Bira responds to Beales' "Rachel Reeves Closing Down Sale" as iconic store makes final protest

8 May 2025

ACT parent company Bira has responded to the news that the 144-year-old Beales department store is staging a "Rachel Reeves Closing Down Sale" in its final weeks of trading, with giant yellow... Read more…

Back to news menu

Assault of shop workers to be made specific criminal offence

Posted on in Business News

Assaulting a shop worker is to be made a separate criminal offence in England and Wales as part of a government response to a wave of retail crime.

Shop worker

Earlier this year a report found violent and abusive incidents against shop workers rose by 50% in 2022-23.Rishi Sunak said shops must be free from the threat of crime or abuse.

The government previously told campaigners for a new law it was not needed and would not be effective. But the government says it is concerned about an increase in attacks. The prime minister said the new law was about "sending a message" to criminals stealing from local businesses or abusing shop workers that "enough is enough".

Helen Dickinson, chair of the British Retail Consortium, welcomed the announcement, saying "the voices of the three million people working in retail are finally being heard".

However, the charity Transform Justice argues that a specific offence will not reduce attacks on shop workers. It cited evidence that a new offence of assaulting an emergency worker had not seen the number of attacks fall.

The new offence will carry a maximum sentence of six months. Perpetrators could also receive an unlimited fine and be banned from the shop where they committed the offence. Serial offenders could be forced to wear tags so their movements can be tracked and £50m will be spent on facial recognition technology.

Dedicated facial recognition units will be used in high streets to catch perpetrators and prevent shoplifting. Police have been told to check more CCTV images against police databases. 

In more serious cases, offenders found guilty of grievous bodily harm will face jail sentences. But anyone convicted of the new offence would not routinely go to prison.

The Sentencing Bill, which is currently going through Parliament, would mean sentences of 12 months or less would be suspended and served in the community, although a prison sentence could be imposed in exceptional circumstances.

The government has promised reforms to free up prison space in response to overcrowding due to tougher sentences and court backlogs. Creating a new specific offence of assault against shop workers is already Labour Party policy.

The party also wants to scrap a rule which makes it less likely police will investigate the theft of goods under the value of £200 because they are dealt with less severely by the courts.

The government will introduce the new offence in its Criminal Justice Bill, currently being considered by Parliament.

Assault or abuse of staff has been a specific offence in Scotland since 2021.

Back to news menu

Useful links

If you have any other queries please contact us.