NORTHWICH MP Mike Amesbury has joined the call for a change in the law after shocking figures showed the extent of attacks on retail workers.

The Guardian revealed over the weekend that there are around 12 attacks being reported each week in Tesco stores across Cheshire.

READ> Hundreds of attacks on workers at Tesco stores in Cheshire

Attacks on those working in retail, who have acted as key workers throughout the pandemic, have increased massively in the last year.

There were 655 serious or violent crimes against workers at Tesco stores in the county in 2020-2021, up 80 per cent from 363 the previous 12 months. The most recent figures show 118 violent attacks since April.

With those figures representing just one of the supermarket giants alone, it is likely that those numbers are actually significantly higher.

Speaking in a recent debate in Westminster, Weaver Vale MP Mike Amesbury said England needed to follow the precedent set by Scotland, who introduced a law in August last year to protect retail workers.

He said: "The challenges facing retail workers since the previous debate, especially in the early days of the first lockdown, have been extraordinary.

"It is no surprise to hear that enforcing public health measures such as social distancing and face coverings, and dealing with stock issues, have been big triggers for abuse over the past year.

"More than ever, we have relied on our shop workers to enforce important laws—not just those relating to alcohol, knives and other potentially dangerous goods, but those relating to social distancing, mask wearing and ensuring that household items are not hoarded.

Mr Amesbury said there had been engagement between Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW), The Co-op and the British Retail Consortium about the issue.

"We received powerful, often very distressing, stories from retail workers across the country of their experiences of abuse in the workplace," he added.

"Shop workers in Cheshire told USDAW that they have had cans thrown at their heads, and have been spat on and kicked by customers.

"Refusing to sell alcohol to a customer resulted in verbal abuse.

"Such incidents clearly deserve prosecution, but very few get to that point.

"That is why we need specific protections.

"If it is good enough for Scotland - a law was introduced on August 24 - it is certainly good enough for the people of my constituency and our nation.

"I look forward to the Government doing the right thing and legislating now."