MP condemns attack on Loughborough shopworker and gives support to retailers’ zero tolerance campaign

Posted by james brindle | Published: 15/10/2021

A Leicestershire MP has condemned a violent incident which left a shopworker requiring surgery after a shoplifter punched them in the face in a shocking attack.

Jane Hall, MP for Loughborough, spoke out after a shoplifter attacked a colleague at the Knightthorpe Road Central England Co-op in the town in a shocking incident.

The colleague involved was assessed on Sunday evening and unfortunately has had to have surgery to correct the damage to his jaw caused by the attack.

Meanwhile all the team at the store who witnessed the attack were understandably extremely shaken by the ordeal. They are supporting police with their investigation.

Mrs Hall wished the colleague injured in the incident a speedy recovery and joined Central England Co-op in condemning the attack.

She said: “I wholeheartedly condemn the senseless act of violence against the member of staff at the Knightthorpe Road store in Loughborough. Everyone should feel safe going about their job and should not fear violence.

“That’s why I fully support Central England Co-op’s zero tolerance campaign. I hope that the member of staff who was attacked is making a speedy recovery.”

This incident comes after the retailer asked people to ‘be kind’ as part of a campaign during the Covid-19 pandemic encouraging customers to treat shop colleagues with respect and to repeat the Co-op’s long-term message to would-be criminals that ‘it is not worth the risk’ to target them.

Recently, Central England Co-op has rolled out a range of different measures including security assistance buttons and using tracking devices in more products to deter would-be thieves.

The retailer has also been working with other major retailers, unions, industry bodies, police and crime commissioners and over 200 MPs to push the Government to crackdown further on those who abuse or attack shopworkers via the introduction of tougher penalties such as an automatic prison term.

Notes to editors

About Central England Co-operative

Central England Co-operative is one of the largest independent retail co-operative societies in the UK with interests in food, funeral, floral and property investment.

Owned by hundreds of thousands of members, its over 7,800 colleagues serve customers across 400 plus trading sites in 16 counties in the East and West Midlands, Yorkshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.

Its purpose is to inspire communities to create a sustainable Society for all.

It actively campaigns for the Government to increase sentencing for violent attacks on retail workers and works with FareShare Midlands and hundreds of food banks, generating enough food donations to create over 2.1 million meals for people in need.

The Society embraces inclusivity and equality and is a signed-up member to the Business in the Community (BITC) Race at Work Charter, while it is also fully committed to addressing the impact of climate change and is on track to be Carbon Neutral by 2030. 

It invests a percentage of its trading profit into local communities through its Community Dividend Fund scheme which has seen over £175,000 shared out between 116 good causes over the past 12 months.

Central England Co-op was named Leading Co-op of the Year by Co-operatives UK in 2021.

Press office contacts: Rob Smyth and James Brindle

Phone - 01543 421390

Email - publicrelations@centralengland.coop