The Co-op is experiencing its highest-ever levels of crime and abuse, with some staff members losing an eye or miscarrying as a result, one of its directors has told the House of Lords.
Speaking to the Justice and Home Affairs Committee, Paul Gerrard said crime had risen by 44% across its stores and violence had increased by 35%.
“That level of crime in our stores is 1,000 incidents every single day,” he said.
“That is the highest level we have ever seen, levels of abuse are at the highest level we have ever seen and violence has dipped slightly in 2024, but it still a very high level.”
He suggested that organised criminals are behind the surge in shoplifting, saying people are “stealing to order huge volumes”.
In some cases, he said people had entered with wheelie bins and building bags to load up with stolen goods.
“If one of my colleagues gets in the way, there will be a violent threat,” Mr Gerrard added.
“There might be a knife, there might be a syringe. I’ve had colleagues attacked with a medieval mace, we’ve had colleagues lose their eye, we’ve had colleagues miscarry.
“We spend money to keep the colleagues safe in the store. If an incident happens, then we take a number of measures.”
Co-op has been a leading voice in campaigns against shopworker violence and is one of the funders of Project Pegasus.
The group supports police forces in identifying the organised crime groups operating in their area.
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