Greggs has announced some of its staff will be using body cameras in an attempt to deter customer attacks and theft.
The bakery chain says it fears for the safety of their staff in some of their busiest locations, including London Bridge station.
The cameras, which can record up to 90 minutes of footage, have been rolled out at certain stores nationwide.
A sign explaining the move has been installed in the bakeries employing the safety measures.
The sign reads: “Keeping Everyone Safe. To ensure the safety of our customers and colleagues, we’re trialling body-worn cameras in this shop. Audio and video will be recorded.”
The company joins Tesco, Co-op, and Primark in body-worn camera implementation, dealing out the devices last year after an increase in attacks on employees.
A source close to Greggs told The Sun said: “Everyone’s noticed there’s more shoplifting. If it was filmed on a bodycam there’s more of a chance they would be put off trying.”
Another employee disagreed with the body cam usage, viewing it as a waste of time: “They don’t really do much because they take five seconds to power up and start recording. By the time you’ve got it on, the thieves are gone.”
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
The Greggs store in Piccadilly Circus, central London
PA
Meanwhile, Tesco revealed that physical assaults rose by a third from September 2022 to 2023.
In November 2023, Lidl rolled out bodycams to tackle a rise in shoplifting. Lidl GB chief executive Ryan McDonnell clarified: “safety and security has always been an absolute priority for us.”
It is not just shops that are introducing bodycams as clinical staff at Nottingham’s hospitals have been given hundreds of body-worn cameras in a bid to protect them from abuse.
Following a rise in violent incidents against staff since the start of the pandemic, an additional 220 cameras have been introduced across Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust.
Deputy sister in the emergency department at the Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC), Lorraine Pell says it is an “incredibly volatile job”.
She said: “If someone is aggressive and they know the camera is going to be switched on, they take a step back. Sometimes it’s not their fault, but we have to protect ourselves. We just want to do our job and help people.”
Deputy charge nurse Hannah Freer, who has worked in the Emergency Department at Queen’s Medical Centre for six years said: “Whilst at work I’ve been called many insulting names, and even received death threats. I’ve seen staff be assaulted, be punched, kicked and spat at. It’s just not acceptable and needs to stop.
“This is heightened when our services are under pressure and patients and relatives experience long waits. Some of our patients also may be more aggressive due to their condition. We do accept this; however, we know that in many cases the aggression and violence cannot be excused.”
Robert Johnson is a UK-based business writer specializing in finance and entrepreneurship. With an eye for market trends and a keen interest in the corporate world, he offers readers valuable insights into business developments.
