ASSAULTS on Co-op shopworkers have increased by a third in a year, the food retailer warned today, piling pressure on Tory ministers to drop their “long-held opposition” to introducing legislation protecting staff in the sector.

Co-op Food revealed that there had been more than 300,000 incidents of shoplifting, abuse, violence and anti-social behaviour in its stores last year, with the number of assaults rising to a record more than 1,300 in a report detailing a 10-point plan to tackle the “alarming” increase in the offences.

The report was written by University of London criminologist Professor Emmeline Taylor ahead of a parliamentary debate on whether to making attacking a shopworker a specific offence as an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill.

Co-op Food managing director Matt Hood said: “It is imperative MPs don’t turn their backs on shopworkers and vote through the amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill to give my colleagues the protection they deserve.

“Taking on board Prof Taylor’s recommendations, with a collaborative approach between the retail industry, the police and the government, will send out a loud and clear message to all those who commit brazen and violent acts of theft that time is now up on their criminal ways.”

Prof Taylor said: “Retail crime not only impacts on a business’s ability to operate safely and profitably but, as my report demonstrates, it also causes serious harm to shopworkers, both physically and mentally, and to communities that are blighted by persistent offending.

“The police in England and Wales have lost grip on the scale and severity of acquisitive crime and, in turn, retailers have lost confidence in them and the wider criminal justice system.”

Usdaw general secretary Paddy Lillis said: “We urge Tory MPs and ministers to end their long-held opposition to a protection of shopworkers law, which already exists in Scotland and has led to over 500 convictions.”

The union has long campaigned for stronger protections for retail workers as abuse of retail staff has been on the increase for years.

Shadow policing minister Alex Norris said: “Shopworkers have been telling us for far too long that they are facing unacceptable levels of violence and abuse, but they are being let down by a government that cannot keep the streets safe.

“Shopworkers deserve dignity and respect. While the Tories take a back seat, Labour will introduce a new offence of abuse against shopworkers so we can put an end to violence, threats and abuse at work.”