Retailers Hit By Rise In Violent Crime

One in three UK retailers has experienced violent crime in the last 12 months according to the latest survey from trade magazine, Independent Retail News.

Across the UK 14% of retailers said they’d been robbed during the last year, with 12% saying they’d suffered physical assault and 20% saying they’d been threatened with a weapon.

The most dangerous place to be a retailer in the UK was the Midlands, where just over 40% said they’d been the victims of violent crime.

John Kirwan, editor of Independent Retail News, said:

This survey makes for disturbing reading. More retailers experienced violence than a year ago, more of it was related to alcohol and drugs, more retailers suffered stress and more retailers needed hospital treatment.

All in all these are shocking statistics which put the problems of many other types of small business into perspective.