Retail Industry Leadership Group meeting minutes: May 2026

Attendees and apologies

ILG members attending

• Lucy Brown (LB), Central Operations Director, John Lewis Partnership, and Retail ILG Co-Chair
• David Lonsdale (DL), Director, Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC)
• Kelly O’Sullivan (KO), Head of Communications and Devolved Government Relations, Tesco
• Laura Mitchell (LM), Head of Retail, Greggs
• Luke McGarty (LMcG), Head of Policy, Public Affairs and Communications, Scottish Grocers’ Federation
• Mark Millar (MM), Director of Stores – Scotland, Boots
• Sonya Harper (SH), Chief Operating Officer, CJ Lang & Son
• Tony Doonan (TD), Regional Secretary (Scotland), Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW)

Guests

• ACC Tim Mairs (TM), Police Scotland
• ACC Catriona Paton (CP), Police Scotland
• DSU Richard Banks (RB), Police Scotland
• PI Emma Wright (EW), Police Scotland
• Damien Drumm (DD), John Lewis

Apologies

• Colin Smith (CS), Chief Executive, Scottish Wholesale Association
• Debbie Harding (DH), Chief Corporate Office, Dobbies
• Dr Wendy Hamilton (WO), Serving Member – Volunteer Member's Council, Federation of Small Business (FSB)
• Grace O’Keeffe (GO), Corporate Affairs Manager, Asda
• Graeme Thomson (GT), Retail Commercial Director, One O One Convenience Store
• Laura McCormack (LMcC), Head of Policy & Public Affairs, Booksellers Association
• Mo Razzaq (MR), Chair of Political Engagement - National Federation of Independent Retailers

Scottish Government

• James Johnston (JJ), Head of Tourism, Hospitality and Retail Unit
• Allan Clifford (AC), Team Leader Retail Policy
• Celeste Wilson (CW), Senior Policy Advisor
• Stuart Lewis (SL), Team Leader Police Strategy & Sponsorship

Secretariat

• John Combe (JC), Retail Policy Officer

Items and actions

Welcome and actions from previous meeting

• LB introduced and welcomed TD, the newest member of the Retail Industry Leadership Group
• LB also welcomed DSU RB and ACC CP who would be replacing DSU Neil McDonald and ACC TM delivering updates to the group on the Retail Crime Taskforce. LB hailed the Retail Crime Taskforce as a good example of the private sector, government and the police working together and thanked both DSU Neil McDonald and ACC TM for their contributions, and, on behalf of the group, wished them both well for the future
• LB informed the group that LM was retiring and that this would be her final meeting. She thanked LM for her contributions and, on behalf of the group, wished her a happy retirement
• no members raised any comments regarding the actions from the previous meeting

Update from Police Scotland

ACC Tim Mairs (TM) and ACC Catriona Paton (CP) with DSU Richard Banks and PI Emma Wright (EW) presented an update on the Retail Crime Taskforce:

• TM reported a 60% rise in shoplifting over five years, alongside higher detection rates in recent years. He stated that Police Scotland were now detecting almost as many offences as had been reported a few years ago, highlighting the positive impact of the Retail Crime Taskforce
• TM also identified a 12% year-on-year increase in offences against retail workers in the workplace, which he attributed to improved reporting rather than a rise in incidents. TM confirmed that this view was in line with the findings of the Scottish Grocer’s Federation Crime Report
• TM confirmed that Police Scotland have been working to strengthen reporting mechanisms and are committed to delivering a better reporting service that inspires the confidence of retailers, alongside the work of the Retail Crime Taskforce. TM also committed Police Scotland to engaging with retailers including via the Retail Industry Leadership Group to improve direct reporting and prioritisation of reported cases

PI EW delivered a presentation on prevention in relation to youth crime:

• EW noted that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to diverting young people from retail-related crime. She also acknowledged the complexity of the landscape, highlighting the range of diversionary schemes operating in Scotland as well as 13 police divisions, 32 Scottish local authorities, and various third-sector partners involved, as well as ongoing challenges around funding particularly for youth work-related initiatives
• EW confirmed that Police Scotland sought to identify best practice based on what currently exists from the custody referral scheme to looking outside of custody solutions run by third parties and giving them some funding to expand on their work with youths
• EW provided examples of schemes supported by Police Scotland, including those using a restorative justice approach and initiatives working with parents in Livingston, as well as climbing and outdoor activity programmes in Dumfries. EW also highlighted the work of the Glasgow-based Scottish Violence Reduction Unit, particularly its focus on behavioural change. In addition, she noted the use of social media to promote prevention messaging
• EW also acknowledged the use of Preventive orders such as ASBOs which have some success. However, she stressed that the use of ASBOs was for prolific, repeat offenders and not suitable as the first port of call
• EW outlined Operation Dynos, which is addressing child exploitation, citing examples of disrupting networks of adults who use children to commit retail-related crime, with some but not all of these young people being successfully diverted away from criminal activity

Retailer feedback

• DL welcomed Police Scotland engaging with retailers to improve direct reporting for retail-related incidents and, on behalf of the SRC, he confirmed his support for this. He also asked TM if Police Scotland have a preferred solution around prioritisation of reported cases
• LM urged Police Scotland to remain open to tailored approaches, recognising that different retailers require solutions that reflect their specific circumstances. She also stated that retailers need to see tangible outcomes from direct reporting to build confidence in the reporting process. LB added that fast tracking criminals through the criminal justice system could deter others from carrying out similar offences
• MM, LB and LMcG welcomed the findings presented by TM, noting that they more accurately reflect the levels of incidents retailers have experienced in recent years. They also expressed their support for, and confidence in, Police Scotland’s approach to prioritising responses to reported incidents that deliver the greatest impact and improve the environment for both workers and customers
• LMcG added that future funding of the Retail Crime Taskforce should be linked to inflation
• DL queried the multi‑year funding for the Retail Crime Taskforce, asking whether it amounted to £9 million over three years or £10 million, noting that he had recently seen the £10 million figure. SL clarified that the £10 million figure had appeared in the SNP manifesto and was now being reviewed following the election, with the SNP having been returned to government
• DL expressed support for retailers working with Police Scotland to fund third‑sector organisations aimed at diverting young people away from offending. However, he noted that this would be challenging given the wide range of charities offering different schemes
• MM and LB highlighted that retailers operating nationally face challenges within the current system when seeking employability funding. They noted the absence of a national programme, with responsibility instead fragmented across 32 local authorities, each operating different approaches. MM called for a simpler, more consistent process that retailers can easily engage with, and urged the Scottish Government to streamline arrangements and empower local community leaders to play a more active role
• DD highlighted that a significant issue is the lack of awareness of the support currently available from the Scottish Government and local authorities. LB added that there is a need to explore how employability support can be streamlined, and called for the ILG to consider how they can support and enable young people at a future meeting
• MM noted that £90 million had been allocated by the Scottish Government for employability schemes and suggested that a portion of this funding could be directed towards employability schemes recognised by Police Scotland with a proven track record for delivering positive outcomes. He added that he currently saw limited value in the existing arrangements and emphasised the importance of linking diversion schemes for retail crime with employability initiatives to achieve more effective outcomes
• LM emphasised the value of using case studies to strengthen prevention messaging. She highlighted anecdotal evidence suggesting that businesses employing local residents from surrounding estates may be less likely to experience crime. She attributed this to employees being known within the community, alongside the business being recognised for providing local employment opportunities
• SH highlighted the need for retailers to attract individuals who are motivated to pursue a career in retail. She emphasised the importance of retailers understanding which organisations and partners they can work with to promote opportunities and support those interested in retail careers. SH also stated that CJ Lang & Son already makes significant contributions to charitable causes and would be open to exploring ways to reinvest these funds, provided that any associated schemes maintain strong links to local communities

Police Scotland response

• EW acknowledged concerns around funding for youth-related schemes, noting that Scottish Government Employability funding may be an avenue worth exploring. She proposed that this could be considered by the ILG at a future meeting
• EW also highlighted that many retailers already contribute to tackling youth crime in various ways, and suggested that some of this funding could be redirected towards targeted schemes recommended by Police Scotland based on their proven effectiveness 
• TM acknowledged the complexity of employability schemes in Scotland, noting that this will require multi-level engagement
• EW proposed alternative approaches, including individual retailer-led schemes or a shared funding model. She noted, however, that a shared funding pot would raise questions about governance and accountability. EW added that Police Scotland had previously worked with Sacro, an established organisation in Scotland, which could design a bespoke scheme for a division or wider area at a cost of around £200,000. EW stated that while this would have delivered a proof of concept and covered the full delivery, Police Scotland could not fund this alone
• EW also outlined the key criteria for any future shared diversion scheme which should have a clear and tangible link to retail offending and be able to demonstrate measurable outcomes to support scaling at a larger, potentially national, level
• TM added that giving young people focus and purpose and structure has significant value. However, he acknowledged that in terms of employment some individuals may require additional support to adapt to structured working environments through an employability scheme
• CP acknowledged the complexity of the current landscape but highlighted a significant opportunity for Police Scotland, retailers, and the Scottish Government to work collaboratively to provide hope and support for young people. She also stressed the need to raise the visibility of positive anchor points to help guide young people towards better outcomes
• TM concurred with CP and he added that a number of young people linked to Operation Dynos are now no longer offending, as they are engaged in courses or contributing to society in other ways. This demonstrates that young people involved in retail crime can be successfully diverted

[ACC Tim Mairs (TM), ACC Catriona Paton (CP) and DSU Richard Banks (RB) and PI Emma Wright (EW) depart]

John Lewis partnership update

• LB delivered a brief update on the John Lewis Partnership, highlighting investment in a refurbishment of the Buchanan Galleries store

Illicit trade

LB acknowledged members’ concerns about illicit trading raised in previous meetings. She confirmed that illicit trading would be a central topic at a future ILG meeting later this year. LB then invited members to provide some initial input on the issue. Members feedback included:

• other shops selling cigarettes under the counter at low prices, as well as stolen goods being resold after theft from legitimate businesses
• the impact of the Union Street fire in Glasgow on legitimate businesses, linking the fire to an unregistered tobacco and vape shop (and perceived lower levels of support from the Scottish Government for larger chains compared with that provided to independent traders
• the wider economic impact of illicit trade, including shop closures and job losses
• frustration that Trading Standards appear to focus more on compliant businesses than on those engaged in illegal activity. They noted that reports to Trading Standards have not resulted in visible outcomes. (As a potential solution, some ILG members suggested for example cross-checking registered stores on the tobacco and vape register and targeting those not listed )
• suggestion of a public information campaign to raise awareness of the consequences of purchasing illicit goods, and what such activity may be funding

Any other business

Post-election input

• DL welcomed the continued broad consensus in the Scottish Parliament post-election to tackle retail crime. He also acknowledged the range of views on taxation affecting the retail sector, noting that it remains to be seen what agreements will be reached in the Scottish Parliament in due course. 
• DL also outlined the SRC’s opposition to the proposed food price cap policy, expressing disappointment at the current lack of consultation and engagement with retailers. DL called for greater collaboration between government, retailers, and business representative organisations, citing previous examples such as engagement on Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP). He also warned against the language being used towards retailers in relation to the policy
• LMcG and LM added that small retailers are already operating on tight profit margins, making the a food price cap policy difficult to implement given the cost of doing business. They warned that its introduction could lead to higher prices for other items and reduced footfall for retailers
• LM, DD and MM echoed DL’s call for a more collaborative approach between government and retailers, noting that retailers have valued this approach in the past
• LB acknowledged the concerns raised and the calls for collaboration between government and retailers She highlighted the importance of the retail sector which employs 18% of Scotland’s workforce LB added that the effectiveness of the ILG depends on this collaborative approach
• JJ highlighted that the price cap policy proposal was new and in the early stages of development and that there was a stated commitment from Ministers to engage and work with stakeholders as part of the process

future ILG meetings

• LB advised members that the RILG had been established in August and therefore recommended a review meeting around this time to discuss the Terms of Reference which ILG members approved
• LB announced that the next full meeting is provisionally scheduled for September 2026 and members interested in hosting this meeting should contact secretariat
• LB confirmed that the last meeting of the group would take place in December and would  include a discussion on  regeneration

Action points

• ILG members to engage with Police Scotland on improving the effectiveness of direct reporting of retail-related incidents
• Police Scotland to provide examples of positive outcomes from direct reporting to encourage greater participation from retailers
• Scottish Government to confirm total funding over next three years for Retail Crime Taskforce
• ILG members to discuss existing employability programmes in Scotland and associated available funding at future meeting
• ILG members to discuss Illicit Trading in greater detail at September ILG meeting
• retail officials to collate feedback from members and share with the appropriate policy leads for discussion in September
• ILG members to discuss Regeneration at future ILG meeting in December
• ILG terms of reference (ToR) to be reviewed at ILG meeting in August
• ILG Secretariat to share the ToR with members ahead of review meeting in August 
• ILG members invited to host September ILG meeting and share suggestions with ILG Secretariat
• ILG to provide input into Scottish Government’s proposed food price cap policy when the time is right