This revised report presents the key developments behind M&S Staff ‘Worried About Coming Into Work’ as Retail Crime and Abuse Put Worker Safety in Focus in a clearer structure, without adding claims beyond the original article.
Marks & Spencer said some employees were worried about coming to work as the retailer called for stronger action on shoplifting, organised crime, abuse and violence against store workers.
The comments came after disorder in Clapham and a series of incidents that M&S said demonstrated how retail crime could affect staff wellbeing, not only stock losses.
Adam Hawksbee, the company’s head of external affairs, told BBC Radio 4 that employees could feel nervous about arriving for work or travelling home after shifts.
Official data also showed shoplifting offences in England and Wales remained at very high levels.
What did M&S say about staff?
Hawksbee said worsening retail crime was clearly affecting colleagues.
He described workers worrying about coming into stores and feeling nervous about journeys home.
The company’s concern therefore extended beyond financial theft to employee safety and confidence.
What incidents had M&S experienced?
Media reporting described violent and abusive incidents involving retail staff.
One particularly serious case involved an employee being taken to hospital after ammonia was thrown at them.
Other incidents involved groups, threats and aggressive behaviour.
Why shoplifting statistics do not capture the full issue
A shoplifting offence records theft from a shop.
It does not automatically describe whether workers were threatened or assaulted.
Retailers therefore look separately at violence, abuse and organised crime.
What do official figures show?
Office for National Statistics figures cited in April 2026 reporting showed 519,381 shoplifting offences recorded by police in England and Wales in the year to September 2025.
That was around 5% higher than the previous year.
It remained slightly below the record 530,643 offences recorded in the year to March 2025.
Why the wording matters
It would be inaccurate to say shoplifting was at an all-time record in the latest annual period if the latest figure was slightly below the March 2025 peak.
It is accurate to say recorded offences remained historically high.
Why retailers think the problem feels worse
Frequency is only one measure.
A smaller number of more aggressive or organised incidents can make stores feel less safe even if total offence numbers change only modestly.
Organised theft
Retailers distinguish organised theft from opportunistic shoplifting.
Groups may target high-value products, visit several stores and resell goods through online or informal markets.
This can involve planning and intimidation.
Why staff are told not to intervene physically
A worker’s safety is worth more than merchandise.
Most large retailers instruct employees to avoid confrontation where there is a risk of violence.
Security staff and police are better equipped for dangerous situations.
The psychological effect on workers
Repeated abuse can cause stress even without physical injury.
A colleague who has seen an assault may feel anxious during later shifts.
Employers therefore need post-incident support as well as physical security.
Why the journey home matters
Retail workers may leave late at night after stores close.
If offenders remain nearby or staff have been threatened personally, concerns can extend beyond the shop floor.
What can employers do?
Measures can include security guards, body-worn cameras, panic alarms, controlled entrances and better incident reporting.
Store layout can also reduce opportunities for theft.
Body-worn cameras
Retailers increasingly issue cameras to staff or security teams.
The presence of a camera may deter some abuse and can provide evidence.
Use must comply with data-protection rules.
CCTV and facial recognition
Some businesses use advanced analytics or facial recognition to identify repeat offenders.
These technologies raise privacy and accuracy concerns and require lawful, proportionate use.
Why reporting every incident matters
Businesses sometimes stop reporting low-value theft because staff believe nothing will happen.
Police and crime partnerships argue that under-reporting makes it harder to identify repeat patterns.
What police can learn from retail data
Shared reports can reveal the same person or group targeting multiple locations.
That can support larger investigations rather than treating every theft independently.
Why evidence quality matters
Clear CCTV, times, descriptions and statements make prosecutions easier.
Retailers can improve outcomes by standardising incident records.
What about young people in Clapham?
Large social-media-organised gatherings created disorder in south London around the period of M&S’s warning.
Police deployed large numbers of officers, and several officers were assaulted.
Not every person present committed an offence.
Why businesses dislike viral “link-ups”
Large groups can arrive with little warning.
Even if only a minority offend, normal store security can be overwhelmed.
The role of social media platforms
Platforms can spread gathering information rapidly.
Law enforcement may monitor publicly available posts where there is a legitimate public-safety concern.
That must be balanced with privacy and lawful assembly.
Government response
Retailers have pressed ministers for stronger prevention, policing and prosecution.
Government policy has included specific attention to assaults on shop workers and organised retail crime.
Why tougher laws are only part of the solution
A criminal offence has limited deterrent value if offenders believe they will never be identified.
Retailers therefore also want visible policing, faster investigation and repeat-offender management.
What customers can do
Customers should not confront violent suspects.
They can alert staff or police and provide information if asked.
In an immediate emergency, move away from danger and call 999.
Why staff training matters
Workers need to know when to withdraw, lock doors, move customers or call emergency services.
Training can reduce hesitation during fast-moving incidents.
How crime affects recruitment and retention
If staff expect abuse or violence, retailers may find it harder to recruit and retain people.
That creates costs beyond stolen goods, including absence, turnover and training.
Why one retailer’s experience is not the whole national picture
M&S’s account is valuable evidence of what one major employer is seeing.
National conclusions should still rely on wider police, ONS and industry data.
Conclusion
The strongest part of M&S’s warning was its focus on people rather than products.
Retail crime can mean stolen stock, but it can also mean abuse, intimidation and workers feeling unsafe simply arriving for a shift.
Official figures show shoplifting remained at historically high levels, though the latest annual figure was slightly below the March 2025 record.
For retailers, the challenge is combining safer stores, better reporting and policing with broader prevention so staff do not have to treat violence as an ordinary part of retail work.
Sources and further reading
See The Guardian’s report on M&S and staff safety and official ONS crime statistics for England and Wales.
Why retail violence can affect customers too
Customers can be caught in disorder even when they are not the target. A sudden fight or group theft can cause panic, falls or evacuation. That gives retailers a duty to think about customer movement and emergency exits as well as employee protection.
What success would look like
For retailers, success is not zero theft, which is unrealistic. More practical goals include fewer violent incidents, faster identification of repeat offenders, better staff confidence and a reporting system that produces usable police intelligence.
Why verbal abuse matters even without physical violence
Retail workers frequently describe being shouted at, threatened or insulted. These incidents may not always appear in headline crime totals, but repeated exposure can contribute to stress and staff turnover.
Employers therefore increasingly record abuse separately from theft itself.
Why alcohol and high-value goods are often secured
Retailers use locked cabinets, tags and staff-controlled access for products with high theft rates. These controls can reduce losses but also make legitimate shopping less convenient.
The challenge is finding a balance that does not make every customer feel treated as a suspect.
Why self-checkout is part of the debate
Self-service tills reduce staffing needs and can speed transactions, but retailers have also linked some forms of loss to scanning errors and deliberate non-payment.
Stores increasingly use weight sensors, cameras and staff supervision to reduce those risks.
What organised retail crime costs beyond stolen goods
A group may cause property damage, force a temporary closure or require extra security. Police statements, insurance claims and staff absence all create additional costs.
That is why businesses measure “shrink” and security expense as well as the retail value of stolen items.
Why high-profile incidents can change staff behaviour
After a violent event, workers may become more cautious about challenging suspicious behaviour. That can be rational from a safety perspective but can also make repeat offenders more confident.
Professional security and police partnership are intended to avoid placing frontline staff in that impossible position.
How unions view the problem
Retail unions have long campaigned for stronger protection from abuse and assault. They argue that shop workers should not accept violence as an ordinary occupational hazard.
They also emphasise staffing levels and training, not only tougher criminal penalties.
Why customer frustration can spill into abuse
Not all incidents involve organised theft. Returns disputes, queues, age-verification checks and stock shortages can also trigger aggression.
Training in de-escalation can help, but employees cannot control every customer’s behaviour.
What good support after an incident looks like
Managers can allow time away from the shop floor, document what happened, assist with police reports and offer wellbeing support. Serious incidents may require occupational-health involvement.
How an employer responds after violence can influence whether a worker feels safe returning.
Why national solutions need local intelligence
Retail crime patterns differ between town centres, transport hubs and suburban stores. Local police and businesses need to share information about specific repeat offenders and hotspots.
National policy works best when it supports that local operational response.
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