Edinburgh MSP's new law to protect shop staff 'ground-breaking' - and 'should be copied for the rest of the UK'

Abuse and assaults on shop staff have increased duringthe pandemic. Pic: Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images)

The Scottish Parliament unanimously approved the bill, which creates a new offence of assaulting, threatening or abusing a retail worker and requires courts to treat such offences more seriously if the worker was carrying out a statutory duty such as asking for proof of age.

It is estimated 15 retail workers are assaulted on an average day in Scotland and in a year one in three shopworkers will be threatened, and three in five abused.

Ewan MacDonald-Russell, head of policy at the Scottish Retail Consortium, said Scotland was leading the way in giving retail workers the legal protection and recognition they deserved.

"In getting behind Daniel Johnson’s bill, MSPs have voted to pass legislation which explicitly states the abuse of retail workers is unacceptable – sending a clear and unequivocal message that the deplorable rise in abuse and violence should come to an end. With retail workers once again at the forefront in keeping Scotland fed and supplied through a Covid lockdown this is welcome recognition of the vital work they do.

“The focus must now move to ensuring the justice system has the necessary resources to ensure the law is now enforced. The legislation has created a critical opportunity to turn the tide on shopworker abuse – it’s vital the chance is taken.”

Scottish Grocers Federation chief executive Dr Pete Cheema called the new law “a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make shops safer for staff, customers and their communities”.

Stewart Forrest, divisional officer of the shopworkers’ union Usdaw, hailed the legislation as ground-breaking. “We hope the UK Government will now follow suit to protect shopworkers in the rest of the UK,” he said.

“We are now looking to work with the Scottish Government, police and retailers to promote the new law. We want criminals to understand that assaulting and abusing shopworkers is unacceptable and will land them with a stiffer sentence. Our hope is that this new legislation will result in retail staff getting the respect they deserve.”

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