The King’s Speech on Wednesday (17 July), delivered at the State Opening of Parliament, unveiled a new bill aimed at shoplifters who steal goods worth less than £200 from retailers, along with the introduction of a new offence for assaulting shop workers, and the introduction of Respect Orders to address antisocial behaviour.
The British Independent Retailers Association, (Bira), welcomed the government’s outline for helping shop owners. Andrew Goodacre, ceo of Bira,expressed his support for the initiatives and said: “We are pleased to see the government taking decisive action on issues that have become a blight on our high streets. For too long, our members have faced increased incidents of theft, greater volumes of stolen products, and rising abuse towards business owners and staff.”
He continued: “We have consistently called for increased police presence on high streets and in neighbourhoods, recognising that physical presence is the greatest deterrent to theft, violence, and antisocial behaviours. We have also pushed for greater legal protection for business owners and their employees. We are particularly encouraged by the government’s plan to make abuse of retail staff a standalone offence. This is a crucial step in safeguarding our hardworking retailers and their teams.”
Andrew said that Bira looks forward to working closely with the new government to ensure these measures are effectively implemented and enforced, providing much-needed support to independent retailers across the UK.
Visit www.bira.co.uk.
Top: The new government has announced a crackdown on shoplifting.
