Currys launches ‘largest ever’ safety investment to tackle retail crime

Currys has unveiled its largest-ever annual investment in store safety measures as it ramps up efforts to protect colleagues and deter shoplifters.

The announcement comes during the electricals giant‘s internal ‘Safety Week,’ which aims to raise awareness of security initiatives and provide store staff with a platform to share their concerns.

Retail crime has reached record levels, with over 2,000 incidents occurring daily in UK shops, according to the British Retail Consortium.

While Currys has supported recent legislative changes making assaulting a retail worker a standalone crime, it emphasised that enforcement and policing remain critical to tackling the issue.

As part of its investment, Currys is implementing new technologies and security measures across its store estate. These include upgraded public display monitors in high-risk stores, enhanced product security, intelligence collection, and increased spending on security personnel and surveillance.

The retailer is also rolling out colleague headsets across all stores by the end of May, following a successful trial. The headsets improve communication between staff, enhancing safety and customer experience by allowing colleagues to respond quickly to assistance requests.

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In addition, the business is trialling crime reporting software in partnership with Auror, which aims to improve the accuracy of incident reporting and track repeat offenders. The platform, currently being tested in two regions, is expected to be rolled out nationwide in early May.

Investment is also being made in product security, including new laptop display clamps to deter theft while maintaining an interactive shopping experience. It said the clamps have already been tested and have significantly reduced aggressive theft incidents ahead of a wider rollout next week.

Currys chief operating officer Lindsay Haselhurst said: “UK retail crime statistics make for difficult reading, as incidents of shoplifting and aggression against retail workers continue to climb. These are not victimless crimes; the worst cases leave colleagues and customers injured and traumatised.

“That’s why I’m really pleased to roll out a number of new programmes to increase colleague and product security in our stores, and welcome the new Crime and Policing Bill legislation. However, we know there is much more to be done and this must be a collaborative effort with all involved, including local police forces and Government.”   

Currys UK stores director Matthew Speight added: “I’ve been out and about in stores seeing these new measures in action, hearing first hand from colleagues how much they’re helping. I hope that alongside showcasing our new safety features, Currys’ Safety Week will give colleagues an additional forum to openly share their concerns and ideas with us.”

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