The King’s Speech: A new dawn for Retail?
King Charles’ speech earlier today has unveiled significant legislative plans impacting the retail sector, sparking widespread reactions from industry leaders and community stakeholders.
The announcement of new laws addressing retail crime, employment rights, and more has been hailed as a transformative moment for shopworkers and the broader retail community.
Crackdown on Retail Crime
The introduction of a specific offence for assaults on shopworkers is a landmark decision, applauded by many in the retail industry. The Co-op, a long-time advocate for greater protection of shopworkers, celebrated this move as a “seismic shift” in tackling retail crime.
Paul Gerrard, Co-op’s Director of Campaigns and Public Affairs, emphasised the significance of this legislation in making it easier for authorities to investigate and prosecute offenders, ultimately enhancing the safety of shopworkers. “This marks a seismic shift in the crackdown on retail crime, sending a powerful message that attacking or abusing shopworkers is unacceptable. We expect this to significantly improve safety in stores across the UK,” said Gerrard. He noted the success of similar legislation in Scotland, where a standalone offence has led to a 60% arrest rate for reported incidents of violence and abuse towards shopworkers, compared to just 10% in England and Wales.
Tesco’s Chief Executive, Ken Murphy, echoed these sentiments, highlighting the vital role of retail workers in the economy and the need for their protection. “Retail colleagues are the backbone of the everyday economy, and they deserve to feel safe at work,” Murphy stated. He acknowledged Tesco’s ongoing investment in security measures, underscoring that governmental support is crucial for comprehensive protection.
Helen Dickinson, CEO of the British Retail Consortium (BRC), also welcomed the government’s commitment to tackle retail crime and anti-social behavior. She stressed the necessity of protecting all customer-facing roles, particularly as they enforce new age restrictions on tobacco products.
Employment Rights and Working Conditions
The King’s Speech also introduced the Employment Rights Bill, aimed at banning exploitative zero-hours contracts and enhancing workers’ rights. This bill promises to provide retail workers with greater job security and better working conditions. The move has been praised by retail leaders as a significant step towards fairer employment practices.
The bill’s introduction of flexible working rights from day one and the establishment of a Fair Work Agency were highlighted as pivotal changes. These measures are expected to bring more stability to retail workers, many of whom have faced precarious employment conditions.
Addressing Retail Crime: Community Reactions
The announcement of the new Crime and Policing Bill, which includes stronger measures to tackle low-level shoplifting, has been met with widespread approval. The Co-op’s recent crime data, revealing over 172,000 incidents in the first half of 2024 alone, underscores the urgent need for such legislation. With 22,750 incidents involving anti-social behavior, abuse, and assaults, the bill’s provisions are seen as critical in protecting retail workers and communities.
Peter Batt, Managing Director of Nisa, emphasised the importance of including independent retailers in these protections. He highlighted the prevalence of verbal abuse and violent incidents faced by colleagues in convenience stores, stressing that all retail workers deserve to feel safe and supported.
James Lowman, Chief Executive of the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS), expressed strong support for the government’s commitment to addressing assaults on retail workers and tackling shoplifting, which he described as a blight on many communities.
Wider Implications for Retail
Beyond crime and employment rights, the King’s Speech also touched on other significant issues impacting the retail sector. The introduction of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill aims to restrict advertising and sales of high-caffeine energy drinks to children and progressively increase the age for purchasing cigarettes. These measures are expected to address public health concerns and reduce the availability of harmful products to young people.
The Children’s Wellbeing Bill, which includes provisions to limit the number of branded school uniform items, aims to reduce costs for parents and remove barriers to children’s participation in school activities. This legislation is seen as a positive step towards supporting families and ensuring equal access to education and extracurricular activities.
Mental health
Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of the Retail Trust commented around the wider impact from a wellbeing perspective:
“We’ve long called for mental health to be given the same attention and focus as physical health and also welcome the new measures to improve support for young people and modernise the Mental Health Act. This should in turn encourage employers to better support the wellbeing of their people and help to reduce the burden on NHS services.
“Within the retail industry, the UK’s largest employer outside of the public sector, 80% of people told the Retail Trust they experienced declining wellbeing last year and more than half of managers reported an increase in absence due to mental health issues, with younger people often most heavily impacted.
“We also welcome the new support focused on encouraging those with mental health or physical conditions back into the workforce but it’s important that those measures are accompanied by greater commitments from employers to really invest in and develop tailored wellbeing support for their people. This means employers better acknowledging and responding to their responsibilities for their staff’s mental health.
“Above all, our hope is that our new government better recognises the fundamental link between happier and healthier people and the economic resilience and productivity of the UK as whole. But to support the retail industry specifically, the implementation of the new UK-wide law to make abuse of retail staff a standalone offence is welcomed to give shop workers more protection against the rising levels of abuse and violence. This is fundamentally threatening wellbeing across the retail industry and damaging its reputation as a great place to build or begin a career.”
Moving Forward
The King’s Speech has set the stage for a new era in the retail industry, with comprehensive measures to tackle crime, enhance employment rights, and address public health concerns. Retail leaders and community stakeholders have expressed strong support for these initiatives, recognising their potential to create a safer and more equitable environment for all involved.
As the legislative process unfolds, the retail sector will continue to engage with the government to ensure these bills are effectively implemented and deliver the intended benefits. The commitment to improving working conditions, protecting shopworkers, and addressing retail crime marks a significant step forward for the industry and the communities it serves.
