Paul Gerrard told the Committee:
A big business such as the Co-op can afford to spend the equivalent of £8,000 a year, on average, on security measures in a store, but my worry is that many of the most at-risk stores—the small, family-run independents—do not have that resource.iiiEEFW Committee, Official Report, 3 March 2020, col 38
GMB Scotland said that there were numerous examples of guards being removed from entrances and exit points to stack shelves, due to staff shortages.ivEEFW Committee, Official Report, 3 March 2020, col 49
The Committee notes evidence regarding the under-reporting of crimes towards retail workers and the important role employers play in encouraging a safe working environment for their staff.