Corner stores are counting the cost of this epidemic of criminality

The British Retail Consortium reckons the total cost of all shop crime across the UK, including investments in prevention, is £4.2 billion (Photo: Adobe)

But the life of the nation’s shopkeepers is not an easy one, and a recent conversation I had with one trader in Clermiston was shocking, but sadly not untypical. Shoplifting is now completely out of hand, and on top of that is regular racial abuse. This is a man is just trying to earn a reasonable living while providing a valuable service for his community. Remedies are available and the Co-op is spending millions on anti-theft measures like till barriers to stop the theft of vapes, and although barriers do not just stop stealing but social interaction between shopkeepers and their loyal customers, it’s better that than their profit literally disappearing out the door.

But such measures cost money and independent traders can’t necessarily afford the outlay needed. And, of course, the under-pressure police are usually so busy that they can’t get round to a shop in time to catch the thieves. The recently published Scottish Grocers’ Federation’s (SGF) crime report for the past year makes for grim reading, documenting both the impact of rising crime on both viability and the wellbeing of staff and their families, as well as their communities. Over 700 convenience stores took part in the SGF’s annual crime survey, and it reveals that the average annual cost of theft and vandalism is now just short of £20,000, which if applied to all Scotland’s 5220 convenience stores makes a total annual cost of approximately £102.7 million. The British Retail Consortium reckons the total cost of all shop crime across the UK, including investments in prevention, is a staggering £4.2 billion, approximately £400m in Scotland.

Scottish traders universally report that shoplifting is now a daily occurrence and is growing, with nine out of ten experiencing violence against staff at least once a month, and only slightly fewer are the targets of hate crime. As a result, two thirds of businesses report that at least one staff member has suffered mental health and wellbeing issues. Horrifically, four out of five report that incidents involving a weapon, such as a knife, club or even a firearm happens at least once a month.

Police Scotland statistics show there have been 15,975 reports of abuse and assaults from August 2021, when the Protection of Workers Act came into force, to the end of last year, and as police will not be notified of every incident the real figure is likely to be higher. Imagine going to your work knowing there was a 30-1 chance of you being attacked or abused, and a high chance it will involve a weapon. You’d either want something done about it, or you would refuse to go back. But if you rely on the shop for your livelihood then walking away isn’t that simple. No wonder their mental health can suffer. I recently visited Fort Kinnaird where they have a very good relationship with the police, but they have the resources to fund good security, with teams that support all the stores. But that’s not a luxury afforded to convenience stores and it’s in everyone’s interest to tackle what’s becoming an epidemic of criminality.

Sue Webber is a Scottish Conservative MSP for Lothian