SCOTTISH LABOUR warned this weekend that retail crime is running riot, as shoplifting and attacks on workers continue to rise.

The party’s justice spokeswoman Pauline McNeill called for action after the Scottish government published figures on Tuesday showing that assaults on retail workers has jumped by 10 per cent — and an 18 per cent rise in such incidents causing injury —  from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

In the same period, recorded instances of shoplifting increased by 19 per cent, with Edinburgh and Glasgow seeing rises of 32 and 30 per cent respectively.

The figures mean that shoplifting has rocketed by 86 per cent since 2016-17, and over the same period Glasgow has seen an increase of 79 per cent and Edinburgh a 182 per cent jump.

Ms McNeill said: “Retail crime is running riot in Scotland, putting workers at risk and leaving businesses out of pocket.

“The retail crime taskforce has a role to play, but these damning figures show it is no silver bullet. The SNP must wake up to this growing crisis and deliver real action to protect shopworkers and tackle shoplifting.

“We need a real plan to strengthen policing, support businesses and improve community safety.”

Usdaw regional secretary for Scotland Tony Doonan said the retail union’s own survey found that nearly four in five retail workers have suffered violence, threats or abuse, with two-thirds of those incidents triggered by theft from shops and armed robbery.

He said: “No-one should feel afraid to go to work. Retail workers provide an essential service and should be respected and have the protection of the law.

“Violence and abuse are not an acceptable part of the job, and much more needs to be done to protect retail workers.

“We were pleased to have won the campaign for a protection of workers law in the Scottish Parliament — but that is the beginning, not the end.”

Community Safety Minister Kirsten Oswald said: “We have provided an additional £3 million a year to Police Scotland to establish and maintain the retail crime taskforce.

“The taskforce is delivering real results, targeting repeat offenders using data and intelligence to drive proactive enforcement in the most affected areas.

“I abhor any violence against shopworkers, and we support police and prosecutors to use our laws to hold those responsible to account.”