- Marks & Spencer staff are increasingly concerned about their safety at work due to a rise in retail crime, including violence and abuse.
- The retailer reported a recent incident where an employee was hospitalised after having ammonia thrown in their face, alongside other instances of gangs and assaults.
- M&S executives have called on the Government and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to implement more effective measures to combat the growing issue of retail crime.
- Adam Hawksbee, M&S head of external affairs, noted that the problem of retail crime has intensified in recent months, negatively affecting staff wellbeing and confidence.
- Official figures from the Office for National Statistics indicate a 5% increase in shoplifting offences in England and Wales in the year to September, with the British Retail Consortium linking organised crime to violence against retail workers.
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