FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF SCOTLAND’S PROTECTION OF WORKERS LAW
Retail trade union Usdaw is calling on the Scottish Government to do more to protect shop workers in light of an epidemic of retail crime. The call comes on the fifth anniversary of the Scottish protection of workers’ law, which the union says makes a big difference if backed up by investment in policing.
The Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-restricted Goods and Services) (Scotland) Act 2021, promoted by Daniel Johnson MSP (Labour, Edinburgh Southern), came into force on 24 August 2021.
It provides a specific offence for assaulting, threatening or abusing any retail worker and a harsher sentence if they were enforcing a statutory age restriction, resulting in a fine with penalties escalating to a prison sentence.
The legislation was a direct result of Usdaw’s ‘Freedom from Fear’ campaign, working with Scottish politicians, retail employers and other organisations.
Police recorded retail crime figures in Scotland, released in June, show that:
- Shoplifting increased from 20,557 incidents during the pandemic to 53,269 last year (2025/6), which is a 159% increase and includes a 19% rise on the previous year (2024/5).
- The ‘clear-up’ rate for shoplifting has fallen from 74.6% in 2014/5 to 50.6% in 2025/6, an overall decrease of nearly one-third, although there was a slight improvement last year of 1.6%.
- Since the Protection of Workers Act came into effect, the number of times the legislation has been used has increased every year. There have been 11,023 police recorded incidents of common assault of a retail worker over 5 years.
Voice from the frontline: Scottish supermarket worker Rhianna talks about how the Act has made a difference when used: “A customer was refused alcohol because they were drunk and they smacked another customer over the head with a bottle of vodka <which also injured the shop worker>.
“The staff called the police and they got there within five minutes…beforehand, it would have been ignored. So, to see that type of improvement is huge and it’s thanks to the protection of workers’ law.”
Tony Doonan – Usdaw regional secretary for Scotland says: “Scotland’s protection of retail workers’ law has made a difference, as Rhianna explains, and has been used to punish over 11,000 offenders, but much more needs to be done in Scotland’s epidemic of retail crime.
“We are continuing to work with retailers and Police Scotland to help ensure that the legislation is fully utilised. However, we have been concerned by a lack of urgency to tackle retail crime from the Scottish Government, who have overseen a record-breaking more than doubling in shoplifting, with a 19% increase last year.
“In contrast, Labour’s actions have seen retail crime reduce over the last two quarters in England and Wales. Northern Ireland rates of theft from shops have also been trending downwards.
“Scottish retail workers suffer far too many incidents of violence, abuse and threats – over two-thirds of which are triggered by theft from shops and armed robbery.
“No-one should feel afraid to go to work, but far too many retail workers do. Usdaw’s own survey shows that over three-quarters of our Scottish members working in retail are being abused, threatened and assaulted for simply doing their job and serving the community.
“They provide an essential service and deserve our respect and the protection of the law, along with the full backing of the Government.”
Joanne Thomas – Usdaw general secretary says: “Scottish shop workers deserve far more respect than they receive. The groundbreaking protection of workers’ legislation that came into force in Scotland was an important step forward and has inspired similar legislation in Westminster for England and Wales, and Stormont for Northern Ireland.
“However, passing the legislation is not enough on its own and it must be backed up with investment in policing and a priority being given to retail crime, which is spiralling out of control. Violence and abuse is not an acceptable part of the job and too many shop workers suffer all too often.
“We still need better co-ordination to ensure that retail employers, police and the courts work together to make stores safer and give staff the support and confidence they need.”
Daniel Johnson MSP (Labour, Edinburgh Southern) says: “Having worked in retail before entering Parliament, I know first-hand the growing impact of retail crime faced by shop workers in our communities.
“I’m proud of the impact made by the legislation I introduced 5 years ago to make it a specific offence to threaten, abuse or assault retail staff, with over 10,000 offences recorded since it came into force.
“The law has strengthened protections, improved reporting and sent a clear message that abuse of shop workers is unacceptable. Now we need urgent action from the Scottish Government to go further in tackling the epidemic of retail crime through stronger policing and closer partnership with retailers.”