Amid rising retail crime, Morrisons and Tesco initiate body camera trials.
- Morrisons tests body cameras in 25 stores, similar to Tesco’s recent implementation.
- Body cameras are considered amidst increasing assaults on retail staff.
- Asda refrains from a similar approach, emphasising privacy.
- Retail workers face doubled abuse levels compared to pre-Covid times.
In response to the surge in retail crime, Morrisons is taking a step forward by implementing body cameras in select stores. This move mirrors Tesco’s recent action to provide body cameras to all its store employees, highlighting the growing concern about staff safety in the retail sector. A trial involving 25 Morrisons stores will evaluate the effectiveness of this security measure.
The initiative comes after reports noted a significant increase in incidents of physical assault against retail workers, with Tesco experiencing over 200 cases each month. The effectiveness of these body cameras, monitored during the trial period, could lead to a broader rollout across Morrisons’ stores nationwide, if successful.
This decision is influenced by findings from the British Retail Consortium, indicating that abuse against retail employees has nearly doubled compared to levels before the Covid-19 pandemic. In contrast, Asda has opted not to implement body cameras for all staff, as stated by its chairman, Lord Stuart Rose, who raised concerns about the potential implications of constant surveillance on staff autonomy and privacy.
The situation is not isolated to Morrisons and Tesco, with other retailers like Waitrose and Co-op also facing increased challenges. Waitrose has introduced a unique ‘thanks a latte’ initiative, offering free coffee to police officers as a deterrent to theft, while Co-op has extended trials of anti-theft measures, such as ‘dummy display packaging’, in response to a 35% jump in shoplifting incidents.
Retailers are continuously adapting to address the challenges of rising crime against employees with innovative measures.
