Although it has been a long time coming, the real impact that shoplifting and organised looting has on independent retailers – and communities – is making headlines in the broadcast and print media.
The Fed – and RN and its sister title, Retail Express – have long campaigned for police and the government to do more to tackle this issue, and in interviews with the BBC’s TV and radio stations and the national and regional press of late, I have been able to lay bare the severity of the issue.
While shop theft has always existed, the cost-of-living crisis has seen more customers turn to shoplifting to survive.
At the same time as speaking to the media, and as part of our new ‘Safe, Secure, Supported’ campaign, the Fed has written to policing minister Chris Philp and to Scotland’s justice secretary, Angela Constance, calling for a government grant to be created to help smaller retailers beef up their security systems.
To combat record shoplifting levels and to better protect their staff from attacks and abuse, larger stores are rolling out more CCTV, offering workers body cameras and increasing the number of security guards that they have Hampered by rising costs and tighter margins, these are measures that smaller retailers can ill afford.
The burden of crime prevention shouldn’t fall on retailers’ shoulders.
Government intervention is crucial to safeguard retailers, particularly smaller shops.
Our letters state that a grant worth up to £1,500 per retailer would not only enable independent retailers to improve their security measures, but would also hopefully deter crimes from being committed, as well as to assist police forces in solving crimes and would better protect local communities.
As well as writing to the government, the Fed has launched a petition at thefedonline.com/safe-secure-supported
Please sign it and encourage your colleagues, shop staff and customers to do so.
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