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Indie Retail Christmas Opening Hours

20 Dec 2023

The Indie Retail office will be open as usual (9am-5pm) for the majority of the Christmas period, with some exceptions.
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Bira CEO addresses surge in retail crime on the BBC

19 Dec 2023

Bira's CEO, Andrew Goodacre, took the spotlight on BBC Breakfast this week and later spoke with Nicky Campbell on BBC Radio 5 Live, shedding light on the rise in retail crime and shop theft,... Read more…

Dress shop crowned winner of Cambridge Christmas shop window competition.

18 Dec 2023

Dress shop Pocket Watch & Petticoats in Trinity Street has been crowned the winner in Cambridge BID’s Christmas window competition.
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Bira issues guide to protecting yourself against festive cyber scams

18 Dec 2023

In the age of online shopping, the pursuit of the best deals during the festive season is increasingly common. However, as consumers flock to virtual marketplaces, cybercriminals are seizing the... Read more…

Shoplifting now among the most common crime against small firms

18 Dec 2023

Fresh evidence about the increasing problem of thefts from shops has been revealed amid a warning that organised shoplifting is now among the most common type of crimes against small firms.
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Oldest record shop in Liverpool reopens with museum to celebrate city's musical heritage.

18 Dec 2023

One of the North West’s oldest record shops has reopened after 14 months, creating a small museum to pay tribute to its long-standing musical connections with the city.
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Indie jewellery retailer creates unique gold ‘Key Ring’ for new ITVX series

6 Dec 2023

Bristol and Cirencester-based bespoke fine jewellery retailer Titcombe Bespoke Jewellery, a member of the National Association of Jewellers, has received one of its most unusual commissions... Read more…

Family-owned butcher’s shop hopes 'Mary' will help Wigan families in need of food.

6 Dec 2023

Reynolds’ Butchers in Parbold, near Wigan, have set up a scheme called Mary’s Mince to help people living in the village.
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American Express Shop Small Highlights UK’s Top High Streets for Independent Shops

5 Dec 2023

Research commissioned by American Express Shop Small reveals the top 10 high streets for independent shops in the UK, shining a light on the nation’s small businesses that play... Read more…

Trade organisations call on PCCs to act on local crime as retailers report record theft

5 Dec 2023

A new campaign is calling on police & crime commissioners to tackle crime on a local level, as theft against convenience retailers reaches record highs.
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Trade organisations call on PCCs to act on local crime as retailers report record theft

Posted on in Business News

A new campaign is calling on police & crime commissioners to tackle crime on a local level, as theft against convenience retailers reaches record highs.

Sneaky shoplifter

The Stop Shop Theft campaign, launched by groups including the ACS, the BRC and the British Independent Retail Association, as well as trade union Usdaw, is calling on every PCC in England and Wales to commit to delivering the Retail Crime Action Plan in their areas.

The crime crackdown, which was published by the National Police Chiefs’ Council in October, sets out how police should respond to and investigate thefts from retail businesses, such as prioritising attendance at the scene of crimes where violence has been used.

As part of the campaign, the groups are also lobbying for easier methods of reporting shop theft, and a single point of contact for all retailers to be established.

It comes as new figures from the ACS’ Voice of Local Shops Survey of over 1,200 retailers revealed theft reached a new record high in November 2023.

It found that 38% of independent retailers reported levels of theft had increased over the past year, compared with 8% of retailers who said theft had decreased.

This marks the highest result in the survey’s history, which has been tracking shop theft since 2012. The previous record was set in May of this year. Challenging thieves is also the top trigger of abuse and violence in store, according to the ACS Crime Report 2023.

“These shocking figures show that shop theft is still getting worse for independent retailers across the UK, despite millions being invested in crime prevention and detection measures,” said ACS CEO James Lowman.

“Prolific offenders are stealing on a regular basis without fear of being caught because they know that the police are unlikely to be able to attend.”

BIRA CEO Andrew Goodacre added: “Retail crime is having a detrimental impact on large and small retailers alike and is becoming worse. Every PCC in the UK must have retail crime on their agenda and work together in a cohesive way to address the problem.

“It is not just theft – it is also about the abuse experienced by hard-working employees and the fact that high streets are less safe with the level of crime. Retail crime harms people, business owners and communities.”

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