Law bid to give shop and bar staff more protection
A LABOUR MSP wants to create a new law to give shop and bar staff who request identification for alcohol and cigarettes extra protection against violence.
Daniel Johnson will launch a consultation on a Member’s Bill to create new offences around the assault and abuse of workers who sell age-restricted items.
He will announce the plan at the Scottish Grocers Federation (SGF) annual conference later and is expected to say: “Violence and abuse has become far too commonplace for staff in shops, bars and pubs across Scotland.
“It is unacceptable for us to regard such abuse as ‘just part of the job’. That’s why I am delighted to announce that I am bringing forward legislation to protect workers across Scotland.
“We rely on these workers to ensure that age-restricted products are kept out of the hands of children, and the legislation requires that they challenge those under 25, and are held liable if they don’t.
“Those challenges and refusal of sale can act as a trigger point for abuse or violence on workers.
“If workers are required to implement the law then they should have the protection of the law.”
A Labour spokesman added: “Extra legal protection, with a lower threshold of assault than common law currently holds, should be extended to any worker who is tasked with upholding the law at work, such as making sure age-restricted items are not sold to minors.
“If workers are expected to perform these legal duties that make them vulnerable to abuse or violence from members of the public then they should be protected by the law.”
Pete Cheema, SGF chief executive, said the proposed new law would act as a “real deterrent”.
He added: “Physical and verbal abuse are everyday realities for many stores.
“Increasingly retailers are being asked to implement legislation within their stores, particularly around age verification. It’s when they try to do this that they suffer from physical and verbal abuse.”
Mr Johnson plans to bring forward the consultation later this month.
The latest British Retail Consortium retail crime survey, published in February, found incidences of violence and abuse against retail staff rose by 42% in a year.
Researchers recorded 51 incidents of violence and abuse per 1000 staff in 2015/16, up from 36 in 2014/15.
Ewan MacDonald-Russell, Scottish Retail Consortium head of policy, said: “Violence against and abuse of retail workers is never acceptable.
“It’s a crime against both those workers and the community they work in, and it’s right we explore all avenues which can reduce the severity and frequency of these crimes.”