The Co-op, a major UK supermarket chain with locations including Birmingham and West London, has issued a directive forbidding employees from confronting shoplifters. Staff have been explicitly warned that attempting to stop thieves or physically intervening is a sackable offence.
One employee, a young worker in his 20s, described the policy as “ridiculous.” He explained, “We’ve been told not to stop them from walking out with stolen goods, and that laying a finger on them could get us fired. Thieves come in knowing they can fill their bags with items like groceries and alcohol and leave without paying. We even had to lock up wine in cabinets because of repeated thefts, but everything else remains vulnerable.”
The staff member recounted witnessing thefts totaling hundreds of pounds and noted, “They come back repeatedly to raid the shelves.” His concern highlights the ongoing challenges shop workers face as retail crime surges.
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Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party, recently commented on the issue: “It depends on how big they are. But yes, broadly, it would be my instinct to prioritize personal safety. Those who are stronger should do more.”
A Co-op spokeswoman emphasized the chain’s stance: “Retail crime can trigger violence and abuse, which is why we have a strict no-challenge policy designed to protect our team members’ safety.”
The Co-op competes with other major retailers such as Aldi, Lidl, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, and Asda. The issue of retail crime is widespread; according to a union survey by Usdaw, nearly 1,000 shopworkers were attacked last year, with almost 5,000 threatened and around 7,000 abused.
Usdaw General Secretary Joanne Thomas condemned the violence: “No one should feel afraid to go to work. Shop workers provide an essential service and deserve respect and legal protection.” She shared an incident where a customer “threatened to headbutt me, assaulted me, and pushed my shoulder simply because I asked him to leave when he tried to steal vapes.”
The rising tide of retail crime and the strict no-intervention policies reflect the difficult balance supermarkets must strike between protecting staff safety and preventing theft.