Scottish retailers warmly welcome new law to protect shopworkers from violence

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Scottish retail leaders have widely welcomed Scotland’s Protection of Workers Act, which came into force yesterday (24 August).

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The law is designed to give shop staff greater legal protection if they are assaulted or abused.

The law was long called for by retailers and retail organisations and those that welcomed it included the Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF).

Its chief executive, Dr Pete Cheema, said that the law marked a major milestone in the law’s approach to shop crime and demonstrated “that assaults, threats and abuse against shop staff will not be tolerated”.

Cheema added: “Everyone has the right to feel safe. Far too many retail workers are left terrified by the trouble they are forced to deal with. No-one should have to put up with becoming a victim of crime simply for doing their job.

“The Protection of Workers Act will give confidence that these crimes are taken seriously and those responsible will be brought to justice. To ensure that, we need to get even tougher on trouble and report every crime in Scotland’s shops.”

The SGF has launched its Don’t Put Up With It campaign to encourage everyone in retail to take a zero-tolerance stance and contact police.

It is supported by the Scottish government, Police Scotland and Crimestoppers and has led to the bosses of hundreds of convenience stores across the country pledging to report every crime.

Scotland’s Community Safety Minister, Ash Denham, heard about the difference the law will make when she visited Scotmid’s Leven Street store at Tollcross in Edinburgh, meeting staff and SGF leaders.

She said:  “Retail workers play a vital role serving our communities, which has been clearly demonstrated during the pandemic, and they should not have to tolerate any form of abuse, threats or violence as part of their job.”

Scotmid has been a prominent supporter of the Don’t Put Up With It campaign and Gavin Randell, Scotmid’s director of retail operations, said: “Time and again we have seen the upsetting impact of crime on our staff. It’s frightening, traumatic and absolutely needless.

“The Protection of Workers Act sends the message loud and clear that there is no place for violence and abuse in Scotland’s shops and that those who subject our staff to it will be prosecuted. We will be reporting every crime to the police.”