Crime & Policing minister, Sarah Jones, met with senior officials from the Federation of Independent Retailers (The Fed) on Monday this week (December 15) to discuss the challenge of retail crime and the government’s response.
The meeting, attended by the Fed’s national president, Hetal Patel, and national vice president, Hemanshu Patel, took place as the Government was rolling out its Winter of Action initiative, aimed at boosting neighbourhood police presence to tackle retail crime over the busy festive period.
During the meeting, The Fed discussed the Government’s work, including the Crime and Policing Bill, which will lead to the introduction of measures like the standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker.
The extra resourcing announced in the November Budget for Trading Standards was praised, although The Fed’s representatives called for a streamlined approach to ensure rogue traders were the ones who were targeted rather than responsible retailers such as its members.
The Fed delegation added that its membership of around 9,000 small independent retail business served as the lifeblood of communities around the country, but the direct and indirect costs of theft undermined their ability to create employment and serve their customers.
Hetal Patel said: “It was great to have the chance to meet with the minister face to face and to explain the heavy toll that retail crime has mentally, physically and financially on shop owners, their families and their employees.
“The minister listened carefully and responded well to our concerns. We look forward to working with the Home Office, the police and other elements of law enforcement across national and local government in the coming months.”
Jones added: “Everybody deserves to feel safe going to work. That’s why we’re introducing the new offence of assaulting a retail worker, which businesses have long campaigned for.
“We’ve recently launched a dedicated Winter of Action to crack down on town centre crime over the festive period.”
“We’re also restoring neighbourhood policing with 3,000 extra officers by spring next year, and we’ve recently launched a dedicated Winter of Action to crack down on town centre crime over the festive period.
“But we know there’s more to be done, so I would like to thank The Fed for speaking with me and I look forward to working with them in the new year.”
This was the first meeting with Sarah Jones since she took on the role in September. It follows appearances by Dame Diana Johnson MP, her predecessor, at The Fed’s annual conference in June 2025, and Alex Norris MP at the 2024 conference.
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