He said: "The figures from this years' survey are alarming to say the least, nearly equalling those of the previous three years combined, and show the true toll of leaving retail staff to enforce COVID restrictions. While any one event of violence is too much, we can only hope, now that most COVID restrictions have been removed, that next year's figures show a marked decrease and allow staff to return to delighting customers without fear for their safety.
"It's unfortunate that investing in crime prevention in this sector also comes at the cost of higher prices for customers, particularly as we look to navigate the cost of living crisis. But staff safety is paramount as they will once again be the ones on the front-lines."
If you require any further information, please get in touch with Dominic Watkins.
