Last month, the Fed conducted a survey among members asking for their personal experiences of retail crime and views on police responses and sentences given to shoplifters. 

The response was fantastic, with more than 650 retailers completing the questionnaire, demonstrating the strength of feeling that this growing scourge represents to our industry. 

Seven out of 10 members said their stores had experienced shoplifting, break-ins and damage to property, while they and their staff had been physically or verbally threatened. 

Just under half of respondents said they and their employees had been threatened or had suffered abuse and violence when asking for proof of age ahead of selling age-restricted products. 

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The full findings will be shared with the UK government, police forces, and police and crime commissioners, in a bid to keep up the pressure on the authorities to tackle retail crime in a meaningful and effective manner. 

They must be made to understand that, without a proper deterrent, including more direct action by the police and tougher sentencing from the courts, the overwhelming tide of retail crime will not be stemmed – indeed, it will simply continue to grow. 

Inadequate responses from the police and a slap on the wrist for offenders means shoplifting is soaring, and offenders are becoming more aggressive and brazen. 

What was clear from the survey is that independent retailers are demanding more protection from the police and the courts. 

They want to see more bobbies on the beat in local neighbourhoods and the law to be given greater powers to come down hard on shoplifters and those who threaten or assault retail workers. 

The home secretary, Yvette Cooper, is making the right noises and has pledged to crack down on retail crime in recent interviews with the media. What we want and need now is action, not just words. 

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