Violence and Abuse towards the Retail Workforce

Debate between Liz Twist and Fleur Anderson

Tuesday 5th December 2023 Westminster Hall

[Liz Twist (Blaydon) (Lab)]

I beg to move,

That this House has considered the matter of violence and abuse towards the retail workforce.

It is a pleasure to present this debate and to serve under your chairship, Sir Edward. I applied for the debate following a visit to a Tesco supermarket in Rowlands Gill in my constituency of Blaydon—other brands are available, of course. I also visited my local Co-op more recently to talk to the staff there. That visit took place to mark Respect for Shopworkers Week, the yearly campaign led by the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers in the run-up to the busy Christmas shopping period.

The campaign has several aims. First and foremost, it is about making it clear that the abuse of shop workers is not a part of their job and is not acceptable. It is about ensuring that employers, police and politicians are aware of the scale of the problem of violence and abuse against our retail workforce and do something about it. From an MP’s perspective, it is about listening to shop workers, recognising their concerns and looking at what we can do to support them.

From my visit, it was obvious to me that we are simply not doing enough. The shop workers I spoke to told me about the growing frequency of theft, which is an issue right across the country; figures from the British Retail Consortium show that there was a 26% rise in incidents last year. But the shop workers also wanted to emphasise that the kind of incidents has changed—not only are there more incidents of theft, but they are increasingly violent in nature. Shop workers are feeling intimidated and threatened. They fear going into the workplace, particularly when returning to work after experiencing or witnessing violent behaviour towards them or their colleagues.

[Fleur Anderson (Putney) (Lab)]

I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this important debate. I went with USDAW to see shop workers in my constituency of Putney. At the Co-op, I was also surprised to hear of so many incidents of violent attacks and the intimidation that so many people face just going to work. Does she agree that it is particularly disheartening that the Government continue to resist Labour’s plans to make violence against shop workers a specific criminal offence? That would make things much safer for shop workers across all our constituencies.

[Liz Twist]

I most certainly do agree. My hon. Friend’s experience of visiting shop workers has clearly been the same as mine. She has heard the same stories, so we must do something to make such violence a specific offence.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Liz Twist and Fleur Anderson

Monday 13th November 2023 Commons Chamber

[Liz Twist (Blaydon) (Lab)]

4. What steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of children experiencing destitution.

[Fleur Anderson (Putney) (Lab)]

8. What steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of children experiencing destitution.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Liz Twist and Fleur Anderson

Monday 13th March 2023 Commons Chamber

[Fleur Anderson (Putney) (Lab)]

5. What steps the Government are taking to support NATO allies in responding to the invasion of Ukraine.

[Liz Twist (Blaydon) (Lab)]

7. What steps the Government are taking to support NATO allies in responding to the invasion of Ukraine.