The Minister agrees on the seriousness of retail crime and outlines steps taken by the Government. He chaired a meeting of the national retail crime steering group, discussing recent legislation to address assaults on public-facing workers including retailers. The Minister emphasises that while there are more police officers now than ever before, resources should be used appropriately to combat retail crime effectively. He commits to convening further meetings with relevant stakeholders and invites organisations like the British Independent Retailers Association and the Association of Convenience Stores to participate. He also addresses concerns over section 176 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, ensuring that police forces understand their duties without setting a low-value threshold for ignoring incidents. The Minister reiterates support for security guards making citizen’s arrests when necessary and highlights technical solutions such as live facial recognition systems to deter shoplifters.