This will include scrapping “effective immunity for low-level theft” introduced by the Conservative government and providing extra funding to crack down on organized gangs.

Funding would also go into training police and retailers “to stop shoplifting”.

Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of the charity Retail Trust, said: “Retail is the largest employer outside the public sector, so a healthy and happy workforce is important to our industry and to the country’s communities and high streets and its GDP.

“However, at the moment thousands of shop workers are contacting the Retail Trust to say they are being forced to consider leaving a job they love and have often worked in for many years because they are not I still feel safe there. We therefore welcome the new funding announced to tackle retail crime and provide more training for police officers to help tackle this problem better.”

Martin Hamilton, director and retail and wholesale specialist at Menzies LLPsaid: “There is a small positive development in the form of additional funding to tackle shoplifting, which is a growing concern for retailers.”

Professor Emmeline Taylor, a criminologist at City St George’s, University of London, with specialist expertise in retail crime, said: “Reeves’ announcement in the Autumn Budget that he would repeal the 2014 legislation which downgraded shoplifting incidents worth £200 or less is welcome. step and one that I have been asking for since 2019.

“The legislation signaled to criminals that they could steal with impunity and was interpreted as short shrift by the police as to whether to take action.

“This move is part of a series of commitments by the Labor Party to finally get control of high-value crime that impacts on the street, communities and the public.

“Retail is the largest employer in the private sector contributing huge amounts to the public budget.

“Those who work within it will welcome these anti-theft measures, but also because we know that violence, abuse and anti-social behavior often go hand in hand with shoplifting.

“There are already several initiatives bringing together the police, local authorities and retailers to target serious organized crime networks that have taken advantage of the fact that the UK retail sector is perceived as a soft option.

“Reeve’s promise to provide better support to tackle these groups, who are also associated with the criminal exploitation of vulnerable adults and children, makes a strong statement that not only is the government listening to the industry and correctly diagnosing the problem, but are also willing. to commit resources to address it.”

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