New legislation protects Scottish shop staff from customer abuse

New legislation has been passed to protect Scottish shop workers from abuse from customers.

The Protection of Workers Bill will make it a new specific offence to assault, abuse or threaten staff.

Incidents involving an age-restricted product, such as alcohol or cigarettes, could be treated more seriously.

The MSP behind the bill, Labour's Daniel Johnson, said attacks on retail workers had increased during the Covid pandemic.

He told Holyrood: "Shop staff have been spat at for asking customers to socially distance, and stock has been smashed in retaliation for item limits being imposed.

"Violence, threats and abuse should not be just part of anyone's job."

Mr Johnson said that staff requesting age ID could be a "trigger factor" in many incidents of abuse.

The new legislation will also cover people working in bars, restaurants and hotels, and those delivering items bought online who may have to ask for proof of age.

Paul Gerrard, public affairs director for the Co-Op, told BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime that the retailer had seen a 450% rise in violent incidents in the last few years.

"It is a huge problem," he said. "We've seen an explosion in violence and abuse toward my colleagues.

"Now across 350 stores in Scotland we have someone attacked every day. And 10 colleagues are threatened or abused every day.

"Increasingly we have seen knives, syringes and axes all used against shopworkers."

Mr Gerrard added that previous incidents were centred on shoplifting or age-restricted sales, but staff were now facing more abuse around enforcing Covid shopping rules.

The new legislation was passed by 118 votes to 0 in the Scottish Parliament.

The Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw) is now urging the UK government to introduce similar legislation to protect retail staff in England.

Usdaw general secretary Paddy Lillis said: "It is a great result for our members in Scotland, who will now have the protection of the law that they deserve.

"So we are looking for MPs to support key workers across the retail sector and help turn around the UK government's opposition."