Win for wholesale in Criminal Justice Bill amendment

After months of consultation and lobbying by FWD and the wider retail sector, the government has laid its amendment to the Bill, to also protect those working for cash and carry wholesalers

The hard work by FWD’s crime forum and the FWD team, calling for the inclusion of wholesale workers under the definition of a retail worker, has succeeded, with the proposed legislation now to protect those working for a wholesaler in a cash and carry setting.

The inclusion of wholesale within the retail worker definition was vital in order to prevent a displacement of crime moving from the high street and into industrial estates as offenders realise these workers fall out of the scope of the new stand-alone retail worker offence. It was also paramount that offenders were held to account for violence against a wholesale worker under the legislation in order to assure the 43 police forces up and down the country had continuity when responding to cash and carry crime.

The wording of the amendment also states that retail premises includes a “vehicle”. FWD is seeking clarification that this clause indicates that delivery drivers are also in scope. After officials had said it was highly unlikely delivery drivers would be in scope, the retail industry unanimously lobbied for during an emergency consultation meeting with the Home Office some three weeks ago.

The amendment regarding retail crime will now progress to debate in the Report Stage on a date to be confirmed, with MPs debating the proposed legislation in the House of Commons. FWD will ask MPs to raise any issues they see with the amendment or clarification.

cash and carry crime Crime Bill FWD Government wholesale