Retail Industry Leadership Group meeting minutes: January 2025

Attendees and apologies

ILG members attending

• Polly Jones (PJ), Head of Corporate Affairs, Asda, Scotland, and Retail ILG Industry Co-Chair
• David Lonsdale (DL), Director, Scottish Retail Consortium 
• Debbie Harding (DH), Chief Corporate Officer, Dobbies Garden Centres
• Lucy Brown (LB), Central Operations Director, John Lewis Partnership
• Laura Mitchell (LM), Head of Retail, Greggs
• Mark Millar, Director of Stores – Scotland, Boots 
• Graeme Thomson (GT), Director of Business Development, One O One Convenience Stores 

Presenters

• ACC Tim Mairs (ACC Mairs), Police Scotland
• DSU Neil McDonald, Police Scotland

Guests

• Jayne Swanson (JS), Head of Public Affairs, Scottish Wholesale Association
• Laura McCormack (LMcC), Head of Policy & Public Affairs, Booksellers Association
• Luke McGarty (LMcG), Head of Policy & Public Affairs, Scottish Grocers’ Federation

Apologies

• Kyron Keogh, Co-founder and Managing Director, ROX - Diamonds and Thrills
• Colin Smith, Chief Executive, Scottish Wholesale Association
• Mo Razzaq, National (UK) Deputy Vice President - National Federation of Independent Retailers 

Scottish Government

• Tom Arthur, Minister for Employment and Investment
• Gary Cox, Deputy Director for Business Strategy and Tourism 
• Allan Clifford, Retail Team Leader, Scottish Government
• Celeste Wilson, Senior Retail Policy Officer, Scottish Government
• Ross Sayers, Retail Policy Officer, Scottish Government
• Stuart Lewis, Head of Strategy and Sponsorship, Police Division, Scottish Government

Secretariat

• Erin Stewart, Retail Policy Officer, Scottish Government
   

Items and actions

Welcome

• The Minister, Tom Arthur (TA), welcomed group members to the meeting
• TA highlighted that skills and employment opportunities are key priorities for both retailers and SG and recognises retail’s role in creating career opportunities and secure work. TA also highlighted contribution retail sector can make in addressing economic inactivity and role of skills action plan
• TA stated he wishes to visit more retailers across strategic and operational levels to deepen his understanding of the challenges and opportunities in sector
• TA expressed gratitude for feedback and acknowledged the importance of communication in regards to the above issues. TA is committed to using the ILG as a sharing platform
• PJ welcomed two new members to the group, Mark Millar (MM) and Graeme Thomson (GT) 
• PJ informed group members of her resignation from the role of Industry Co-Chair and announced that Lucy Brown (LB) will now take the post from February 

 
Group’s Terms of Reference

PJ thanked group members for their contributions on the new ToR which was circulated in December 2024. The document now has a clearer focus and is available on the ILG page on scot.gov.

Discussion of £3m retail crime funding in draft Scottish Budget

Assistant Chief Constable Mairs (ACC Mairs) recognises this is a significant investment in addressing retail crime and provided ILG members with an insight to how the funding would be spent. 

Primary strategy

Full-spectrum approach with focus on: 

• commitment to reporting
• tangible justice system, including creative solutions
• increased police visibility in key areas 

Four piece approach

• preventative: based on the data showing children and young people as most likely to shoplift, this measure will target those demographics, including safeguarding and support for vulnerable people
• pursue: will aim to enhance intelligence sharing and investigative capacity, including overtime for deeper investigations
• protect: will provide additional crime prevention training specific to retail crime with a communication campaign to raise awareness
• prepare: will develop a reporting tool for retailers to submit quick online submissions with a fast investigation response

Retail crime task force

Measurable impact with police officers, staff and intelligence analysts focusing on crime prevention training, with strategic steering groups able to focus on regional areas such as Edinburgh where retail crime is higher. 

Questions and answers

• LMcC raised a question regarding violence in the retail sector, asking if the preventative strategy will address this. ACC Mairs responded recognising that there is a significant overlap between theft and violence, reassured that the retail crime prevention training will look to address this
• LM asked if Police Scotland will consider using any existing systems, such as AURA, for reporting and information sharing. ACC Mairs is aware of these systems, they may be considered but there needs to be a guarantee that the system is accessible to smaller, independent retailers 
• GT raised the point that shoplifting is underreported and it would be beneficial for retailers to know they would receive updates/a feedback loop. Also raised concerns over this being one-year funding. ACC Mairs stated that there is no expectation of future funding but believes argument can be made to continue or source funding from elsewhere if there are positive results
• LB highlighted that shoplifting is often linked with wider societal issues with ACC Mairs reiterating that the solutions would be interconnected via retail crime prevention training where broader societal issues are taken into consideration in communities
• MM raised that often, repeat offenders are not caught or penalised / would like to see a quick, simple reporting tool where multiple incidents can be reported at once. ACC Mairs is hopeful the reporting system would be beneficial for cases like this, but still to decide which tool best for all parties
• DL informed that Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) are willing to promote SPAACE  via the SRC, and happy to feed back to the ILG on SPAACE, including creative solutions for tackling antisocial behaviour, such as free travel for youths
• ACC Mairs wants to keep communication with the ILG open and work collaboratively with the group, using the ILG as an accountability mechanism

Hot topics

• LM has stated National Insurance impact on pricing and limited help with business rates is a concern 
• DL recognised recent Scottish Budget has addressed several issues faced by the sector but emphasised the importance of timely communication from SG
• LMcG agreed that regular updates on policy changes regarding cumulative burdens is essential. Highlighted that UK Deposit Return Scheme must be cost neutral for businesses
• GT called for a pause in new regulations, no need to remove existing ones 
• Debbie Harding believes cumulative burden effects business longevity 
• PJ feels that Scotland’s modern apprenticeship scheme is not working and would like this discussed at a future meeting
• TA expressed gratitude for feedback and acknowledged there may not be enough communication in regards to the above issues. TA is committed to using the ILG as a sharing platform

Any other business

• PJ let members know there will be a Fair Work in Retail survey circulated, important that members contribute to this as this will help to inform the “Growing Fair Work in Retail” resource
• TA interested in the impact FW has on productivity, skills and progression – it makes business sense. Encouraged members to send case studies
• PJ wants ILG to ‘launch’ the retail crime funding with Police Scotland

Action points

• Secretariat to ask ILG members for suggestions on a varied series of Retail visits for Mr Arthur
• ILG members to provide the Secretariat with email contacts for the FW survey
• ILG members to provide the Secretariat with Case Studies for the 'Growing Fair Work in Retail' resource
• ILG to launch retail crime funding, likely before April 2025
• Police Scotland to attend as a standing agenda item while funding is in place