Retailers fearing for lives amid rise in shop violence

Inadequate police response to soaring levels of violent shop crime has left retailers fearing for their lives.

Speaking at the Scottish Grocers Federation’s (SGF) Crime and Wellbeing seminar this month, retailers revealed the stark toll increasing crime levels had on their mental and physical wellbeing.

Dan Brown, of Spar Pinkie Farm in Musselburgh, said: “My biggest concern is the safety of myself and colleagues. Retailers are being killed, but nothing is happening. We need action. How many of us have to die before something actually happens?”

Brown recalled previous incidents where he had been threatened with knives and guns in his shop.

He added: “It’s happening to almost every retailer. These are mothers, fathers, sons and daughters who are facing abuse on a daily basis. My fiancé was involved in an armed robbery. This was a 25-year-old woman literally looking down the barrel of a shotgun.”

Brown’s experiences are reflective of new figures highlighting growing shop violence. The SGF’s 2024 Crime Report revealed that 92.8% of retailers experienced violence once a week, while 55.7% called police response times “unsatisfactory.”

Nationally, the latest ACS statistics stated violent attacks against retailers in the last 12 months rose annually by 85% from 41,000 to 76,000.

Elsewhere, member of Scottish Parliament Daniel Johnson revealed the latest on charges brought under the Protection of Workers Bill in Scotland. As of February 2024, 3,607 charges were made under the bill for violence against shopworkers. This included 1,199 convictions, with 1,313 still in court, while 154 have not been pursued.

Despite the rise in shop attacks, retailers at the SGF event criticised police response to shop crime. Umar Majid, of Baba’s Kitchen in North Lanarkshire, said: “A couple of years ago I was assaulted. A warrant was put out for their arrest because they never showed up at the court case, but nothing has come of that. You wonder whether there’s actually any point?”

Meanwhile, Anand Cheema, of Costcutter Falkirk, highlighted rising issues in racial abuse. He said: “Abuse is more invisible now through intentions and actions. My family didn’t want me going into the sector. I’ve done it, but I don’t think I’d tell my kids to pursue a career in this sector. If you won’t put your own children in retail, why would you put another human being there?”