Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the of the impact of retail-related crime on the mental health of victims.

We recognise the significant and long-lasting impact retail crime can have on its victims. We are continuing to work closely with the retail sector and the police through the National Retail Crime Steering Group (NRCSG) to ensure the response to retail crime is as robust as it can be. We are also working closely with the police-led National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) to understand the crimes affecting businesses, including the retail sector, and help ensure businesses and police are working effectively together to tackle crime.

The NRCSG has been working with retailers to develop resources to make it easier for employers to report crimes and provide appropriate support to employees who are victims of these crimes, in particular violence and abuse towards shop workers. The downloadable resources are free to use and are available here: https://brc.org.uk/nrcsg-against-shop-worker-abuse-and-violence/