By James Davey LONDON, April 23 (Reuters) - British supermarket group Sainsbury's would welcome a regular police presence in its stores to deter shoplifting and violence and abuse against staff, its
Sainsbury's CEO Endorses Greater Police Presence in Stores to Deter Crime
Retail Crime and Calls for Increased Police Support
By James Davey
LONDON, April 23 (Reuters) - British supermarket group Sainsbury's would welcome a regular police presence in its stores to deter shoplifting and violence and abuse against staff, its boss said on Thursday.
The Growing Issue of Retail Crime in Britain
The issue of retail crime has become a hot political topic in Britain, with repeat offenders and criminal gangs operating with apparent impunity. Theft costs the industry billions of pounds and inflates prices for consumers as the expense of lost goods and increasing security is passed on.
Sainsbury's CEO Simon Roberts' Response
Sainsbury's CEO Simon Roberts said he was pleased to see a recent commitment from the UK government to recruit 3,000 extra neighbourhood police officers and community support officers over the next 12 months and wanted to see them in his stores.
Support for Police Presence in Supermarkets
"Police on the beat are very welcome in our supermarkets and our stores as much as they can be. I think that would be a really good thing to see," Roberts told reporters after Sainsbury's reported full-year results.
"It would just make the point that this issue is really serious, it really matters, it's really at the top of the agenda. Our colleagues shouldn't have to face these concerns and we need the help and support of the police," he said.
Industry-Wide Calls for Action
M&S Has Called for Crackdown on Retail Crime
Earlier this month, Marks & Spencer, called for the government and police to crackdown on retail crime, saying its stores have been targeted by organised criminal gangs.
Shoplifting Statistics and Industry Concerns
Official data published on Thursday showed shoplifting offences in England and Wales declined by 1% to 509,566 in 2025.
However, industry body, the British Retail Consortium, believes the data from the Office for National Statistics underestimates the issue, as it only captures reported incidents.
The BRC said its own figures show 5.5 million detected incidents of theft last year and 1,600 incidents a day of violence and abuse against staff.
Legislative Measures and Future Outlook
New Legislation to Tackle Retail Crime
Roberts also welcomed new legislation that will abolish the 200 pounds ($270) threshold for so called "low level" theft and create a specific offence for assaulting retail workers.
($1 = 0.7413 pounds)
(Reporting by James Davey; editing by Sarah Young)
