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House of Lords passes an important amendment that will add further protection for workers in independent convenience stores.
Peers agree protection of workers amendment in cases of assault where an offence is committed against those providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing a service to the public, which includes retailers. The Government says it will reinforce in statute the seriousness with which the ourts should treat these offences and send a very strong signal to the public that assaults of this kind are totally unacceptable. The new measure will be reviewed in 12 months.
The House of Lords has passed a new protection of workers amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in the House of Lords. The amendment places in statute the aggravating factor applied by the courts Volume 12: February 2022
ACS Chief Executive, James Lowman, said: “After many years of campaigning we are please the government has introduced tougher penalties for attacks on shopworkers. This sends a much-needed signal to our colleagues that violence and abuse will not be tolerated.
‘One in three’ go low or no UK shoppers are increasingly choosing low and no alcohol products all year round and not just for the recent Dry January festival, according to the fourth annual online study by drinks watchdog The Portman Group, carried out in December. Conducted by YouGov, the report found that almost one in three (32%) UK drinkers now ‘semi-regularly’ consume low and no alcohol products compared to one in four (25%) in 2020. A fifth (20%) of those who have tried low and no alcohol say they are more likely to drink these products now compared to a year ago, almost double the number saying this in last year’s survey (11%). The most popular reason given is ‘being able to drive home from social events’ (33% of respondents) while healthier consumption concerns were cited by 22% of consumers. More than one in 10 consumers (12%) said they currently alternate between low or no products and regular strength alcohol to moderate their overall consumption. However, well over half (58%) of non-drinkers have never even tried a low or no product and just 14% are semi-regular consumers.
“We still need more resources for police forces to focus on neighbourhood policing and delivery of the drug rehabilitation strategy to reduce acquisitive crime that often leads to violence in local shops.”
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