Retail bosses are warning that rising levels of shoplifting and violence against staff are deterring young people from entering the sector, deepening the industry’s recruitment crisis. Jonathan James, owner of James Convenience Retail, which runs around 40 stores under the Select Convenience brand, said fears over safety are making roles less attractive. Chris Noice, of the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS), said the impact of crime on workers can be “life-changing”: “Retailers and colleagues face theft, abuse, assault, and even threats with weapons. For an industry already grappling with labour shortages, high inflation and squeezed margins, rising violence poses yet another hurdle. Unless the government’s measures quickly restore confidence, retailers warn that recruiting young staff could become increasingly difficult – undermining one of Britain’s largest private-sector employers.