New offence of assaulting a shop worker takes effect as retail crime fears mount

Attacks on shop workers now carry a dedicated criminal offence under the Crime and Policing Act 2026, in a change campaigners and retailers have sought for years amid mounting reports of abuse, threats and violence on the shop floor.

The Act creates a standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker, carrying a maximum penalty of six months in prison and an unlimited fine, with a presumption that courts will impose a Criminal Behaviour Order on a first conviction. It also abolishes the long-criticised treatment of low-value shoplifting as a lesser matter.

Ministers say the measures are designed to protect staff, capture the true scale of the problem and drive down retail crime, which retailers describe as one of the most pressing issues facing high streets.

The scale of the problem

Industry figures paint a stark picture of life behind the till. Surveys cited by retailers suggest a majority of workers have faced threats of violence over the course of a year, with a significant minority physically assaulted.

Trade bodies estimate that on an average day, around 1,600 retail workers face abuse or assault, with weapons involved in a notable share of the worst incidents. Retailers argue that a dedicated offence will help police and courts take such attacks more seriously.

“Nobody should go to work fearing for their safety. A dedicated offence sends a clear message that violence against shop workers will not be tolerated.”

Closing the shoplifting loophole

The Act removes the practice under which thefts of goods below a set value were, in effect, treated as a lower priority, a rule retailers blamed for emboldening prolific offenders who believed they would face little consequence.

Police-recorded shoplifting remains high, with retailers insisting the recorded total represents only a fraction of the millions of incidents they detect each year. The change is intended to ensure that thefts are taken seriously regardless of the value of the goods involved.

Will it work?

Retail leaders have broadly welcomed the new offence but stress that legislation alone will not solve the problem. They want to see consistent police attendance, robust use of the new powers and investment in tackling organised theft.

Some criminologists caution that enforcement depends on resources and that the impact will only become clear once the offence is used in practice. The presumption of a Criminal Behaviour Order is intended to add a longer-term deterrent for repeat offenders.

• A new standalone offence covers assaulting a retail worker.
• The maximum penalty is six months in prison and an unlimited fine.
• Courts face a presumption to impose a Criminal Behaviour Order on first conviction.
• The low-value shoplifting threshold has been abolished.
• Retailers report around 1,600 workers facing abuse or assault each day.

Background

The Crime and Policing Act 2026 received Royal Assent on 29 April and has been described by the government as one of the most significant overhauls of criminal justice law in decades. Alongside the retail measures it introduces new offences and powers across knife crime, anti-social behaviour and organised crime.

Pressure for action on retail crime had been building for years, with unions, trade associations and parliamentary committees highlighting the human cost of abuse against frontline staff and the economic toll of theft on businesses and communities.

What happens next

Retailers will be watching how police and courts apply the new offence in the months ahead, and whether it translates into more arrests and charges. The government will face calls to demonstrate that the changes are reducing violence against workers rather than simply adding to the statute book.