Finance
UK's Sainsbury’s Backs Police Presence in Stores to Deter Theft, Violence
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 23, 2026
3 min readLast updated: April 23, 2026
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Sainsbury’s CEO Simon Roberts endorses a regular police presence in supermarkets to curb escalating retail crime and protect staff, applauding the UK government’s early delivery of 3,000 additional neighbourhood officers and backing new legislation to toughen theft and assault laws.
Sainsbury's CEO Endorses Greater Police Presence in Stores to Deter Crime
Retail Crime and Calls for Increased Police Support
By James Davey
LONDON, April 23 (Reuters) - British supermarket group Sainsbury's would welcome a regular police presence in its stores to deter shoplifting and violence and abuse against staff, its boss said on Thursday.
The Growing Issue of Retail Crime in Britain
The issue of retail crime has become a hot political topic in Britain, with repeat offenders and criminal gangs operating with apparent impunity. Theft costs the industry billions of pounds and inflates prices for consumers as the expense of lost goods and increasing security is passed on.
Sainsbury's CEO Simon Roberts' Response
Sainsbury's CEO Simon Roberts said he was pleased to see a recent commitment from the UK government to recruit 3,000 extra neighbourhood police officers and community support officers over the next 12 months and wanted to see them in his stores.
Support for Police Presence in Supermarkets
"Police on the beat are very welcome in our supermarkets and our stores as much as they can be. I think that would be a really good thing to see," Roberts told reporters after Sainsbury's reported full-year results.
"It would just make the point that this issue is really serious, it really matters, it's really at the top of the agenda. Our colleagues shouldn't have to face these concerns and we need the help and support of the police," he said.
Industry-Wide Calls for Action
M&S Has Called for Crackdown on Retail Crime
Earlier this month, Marks & Spencer, called for the government and police to crackdown on retail crime, saying its stores have been targeted by organised criminal gangs.
Shoplifting Statistics and Industry Concerns
Official data published on Thursday showed shoplifting offences in England and Wales declined by 1% to 509,566 in 2025.
However, industry body, the British Retail Consortium, believes the data from the Office for National Statistics underestimates the issue, as it only captures reported incidents.
The BRC said its own figures show 5.5 million detected incidents of theft last year and 1,600 incidents a day of violence and abuse against staff.
Legislative Measures and Future Outlook
New Legislation to Tackle Retail Crime
Roberts also welcomed new legislation that will abolish the 200 pounds ($270) threshold for so called "low level" theft and create a specific offence for assaulting retail workers.
($1 = 0.7413 pounds)
(Reporting by James Davey; editing by Sarah Young)
Key Takeaways
- •Sainsbury’s supports embedding police officers and PCSOs in stores to deter theft, violence and abuse, reinforcing staff safety.
- •The UK government has already surpassed its pledge, deploying over 3,000 additional neighbourhood policing personnel two months ahead of schedule, demonstrating early positive results in tackling retail crime.
- •New laws abolishing the £200 petty-theft threshold and creating a standalone offence for assaulting retail workers underscore growing legislative recognition of retail crime’s severity.
Frequently Asked Questions about UK's Sainsbury’s backs police presence in stores to deter theft, violence
1Why does Sainsbury's want a regular police presence in its stores?
Sainsbury's believes more police in stores will deter shoplifting and reduce violence and abuse against staff, making stores safer.
2How much does theft cost the UK retail industry?
The article reports that theft costs the industry billions of pounds, leading to higher prices for consumers.
3What recent measures has the UK government announced to tackle retail crime?
The government has pledged to recruit 3,000 extra neighbourhood police and community support officers in the next year.
4What new legislation related to retail crime does Sainsbury's support?
Sainsbury’s supports abolishing the £200 threshold for 'low level' theft and creating a specific offence for assaulting retail workers.
5How does reported shoplifting data compare to industry estimates?
Official data shows 509,566 offences, but the British Retail Consortium estimates 5.5 million theft incidents last year.
