‘Labour’s Crime and Policing Act is a step forward for shop worker safety’

For far too many years, shop staff across Britain have gone to work knowing they may face abuse, threats or worse. In 2025 alone, there were over 1,600 incidents of violence, abuse, and threatening behaviour against retail staff every day – a stark reminder of the scale of the problem. Whether these events take place in urban areas, such as the recent incidents in Clapham, or in smaller market towns, such as the repeated break ins and theft of money from a Co-op store’s ATM in Winslow (located in the Buckingham and Bletchley constituency I represent), they are always unacceptable.

Retail workers are often on the front line of crime, dealing with shoplifting, intimidation, and antisocial behaviour as part of their daily working lives. Retailers have invested billions of pounds over the last few years to tackle this scourge. Businesses, government, and the police (as well as the general public) are united in their belief that no one should face violence or abuse as part of their job.

We all know someone in retail. In my case, it is my mum, who has spent over twenty years working on the shop floor. Like thousands of others across our country, she should never have had to worry about facing abuse or threats at work – and yet, I’ve heard more than one concerning story from her over the years.

READ MORE: ‘Why it’s all worth it’

That’s why this Labour Government’s Crime and Policing Act, which has just completed its journey through Parliament, is so important. It marks a decisive step forward in protecting retail workers and restoring confidence in our high streets.

The Act follows years of campaigning by unions, including Usdaw and the GMB, retailers, and the industry’s trade association, the British Retail Consortium, all of whom have shone a light on the scale of retail crime, and the impact it has on colleagues and communities.

I cannot reiterate enough: our retail staff play a vital role in keeping communities running and supporting local economies. I should know, I have the pleasure of regularly visiting the brilliant local retailers in the towns, villages and city that form the Buckingham and Bletchley constituency.

From our large supermarkets to smaller, independent shops which help shape local identities, such as Buckingham’s Finca El Monte or Oxley Park’s new Willen Hospice Charity Shop, – each store provides a greater role than just the products they sell. Few would disagree that they are an integral part of the fabric of where we are from, and our shop workers deserve to have the protections they need. Not to mention, when people feel safe, high streets thrive – and they’re an integral part of galvanising local economic growth.

Become a friend of LabourList and join our community. Our friends support our vital non-factional work and get access to exclusive content and events. 

Figures from the British Retail Consortium’s latest crime report show the scale of the problem: violence against shop workers remains around four times above pre-pandemic levels alongside rising theft and repeat offending. Incidents regularly go unpunished, leaving workers feeling exposed and retailers questioning whether the system is working.

This legislation changes that. By creating a specific offence for assaulting a retail worker and removing the £200 ‘low-value shoplifting’ rule, we are sending a clear message: violence and theft will not be tolerated.

Furthermore, we are strengthening the response to repeat offenders, giving courts the tools they need to deal with persistent shoplifters.

There’s absolutely more to be done, but we are making good headway in restoring confidence for workers, businesses, and communities. When incidents go unpunished, it sends the wrong signal. The Crime and Policing Act begins to put that right.

As promised in our manifesto, Labour has acted and we will continue to act to ensure the job is done. This legislation is a clear step forward and is a reminder of the fact that our party is the only party with a serious plan to support workers. It’s in the DNA of what we do.

Subscribe here to our daily newsletter roundup of Labour news, analysis and comment– and follow us on TikTok, Bluesky, WhatsApp, X and Facebook. You can also write to our editor to share your thoughts on our stories and share your own. The best letters are published every Sunday.

• • SHARE: If you have anything to share that we should be looking into or publishing about this story – or any other topic involving Labour– contact us (strictly anonymously if you wish) at [email protected].
  • SUBSCRIBE: Sign up to LabourList’s morning email here for the best briefing on everything Labour, every weekday morning.
  • BECOME A FRIEND: If you enjoyed this, why not consider becoming a Friend of LabourList? Help sustain our journalism, and of course Friends do get benefits…
  • PARTNER: If you or your organisation might be interested in partnering with us on sponsored events or projects, email [email protected].
  • ADVERTISE: If your organisation would like to advertise or run sponsored pieces on LabourList‘s daily newsletter or website, contact our exclusive ad partners Total Politics at [email protected].