Espresso store chain Pret A Manger has introduced some employees members will put on body-worn cameras as a brand new security measure.
The corporate confirmed to Sky Information that six outlets throughout London began trialling the brand new know-how final month, which can solely be worn by group leaders and managers.
It mentioned the cameras will solely be switched on in “specific circumstances” and photographs will solely be accessible to Pret’s safety group.
The introduction of the additional security measure comes as firms reported growing circumstances of shoplifting and aggressive behaviour in the direction of employees within the years following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shoplifting has reached file highs within the UK with 16.7 million incidents recorded final 12 months – greater than double in contrast with 2022.
In a bid to sort out the crime, retailers have spent round £1.8bn on measures reminiscent of CCTV, safety personnel and bodyworn cameras, in response to a survey by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) in February.
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Lidl lately spent £2m on physique cameras for workers in all of its UK shops, whereas English Heritage – which manages historic websites throughout the nation – has additionally deployed an analogous tactic.
The BRC additionally reported a 50% improve in violence and abuse in the direction of retail staff.
An estimated 1,300 incidents occurred day by day in 2022 into 2023, an increase of fifty% from 870 the 12 months earlier than, the BRC mentioned.
