Labour has dismissed proposals to allow shop security guards to carry defensive weapons, despite mounting concern from retailers over rising levels of theft and violence.
Policing minister Sarah Jones rejected suggestions that Britain should follow countries such as Spain, where store security personnel are equipped with truncheons and pepper spray. The proposal had been put forward by retail figures including Lord Walker, chairman of Iceland and a government adviser on the cost of living.
Jones said that arming guards was “not the answer”, pointing instead to Britain’s longstanding model of “policing by consent”. She argued that the UK operates differently from continental systems and suggested that legislative changes would be a more appropriate response.
“We have a particular type of policing by consent which is very different from [the Continent]. Here our police don’t carry guns. We have a different model of operation so I am not sure that is the answer,” she said.
“But what I would say is that the problem is very significant and we need to do a lot more to tackle it.”
Pressed further, she added: “I think security staff should be intervening for sure. I want people to be safe at all times. I don’t think giving them weapons is the answer.”
Her remarks make her the first minister to respond directly to growing frustration from major retailers, who have warned that shoplifting is becoming more aggressive and organised. Industry figures say staff are increasingly facing intimidation and violence, while offenders appear emboldened by weak enforcement.
Recent incidents have underscored these concerns, including footage shared online showing people openly stealing food before pushing past employees and leaving without consequence.
Lord Walker has argued that stronger deterrents are needed, stating: “You go to Spain and all the security guards have pepper spray and a truncheon. They don’t mess about.”
Despite such warnings, Labour ministers have instead focused on relatively modest legal adjustments. These include scrapping the previous £200 threshold for low-value theft and introducing a specific offence for assaulting shop workers, carrying a maximum penalty of six months in prison or a fine.
Critics say these measures fall far short of addressing the scale of the problem. Official figures show that fewer than one in five shoplifting offences result in a court summons, while more than half of cases are dropped because suspects cannot be identified. In London, the charge rate is even lower.
Meanwhile, the gap between reported crime and the true scale of offending remains stark. Police recorded just over 519,000 shoplifting incidents in the year to September 2025, yet industry estimates suggest the real figure exceeds 5.5 million.
Labour has pointed to a 21 per cent increase in charges over the past year as evidence of progress, but this comes from a low base and does little to reassure businesses facing daily losses.
Jones herself acknowledged the contradiction in the government’s position, saying: “Just one caveat to that which I know doesn’t help my case but we do want people to report this crime.”
“It is not acceptable that it happens and I talk to retailers where they say that sometimes they don’t report it so I want them to report it. In that sense I want the numbers to go up because I want every single crime to be reported.”
Opposition figures have argued that the government’s approach lacks urgency. Shadow communities secretary Sir James Cleverly called for broader action, warning that public confidence is eroding.
“The perception that there is now a free for all on the high street has got to change,” he said.
For many retailers, Labour’s response will do little to restore confidence. While ministers emphasise principles and incremental reforms, businesses continue to deal with the immediate reality of rising theft and increasingly confrontational offenders, raising questions about whether the government is keeping pace with the problem.
