Retail crime in the UK has reached an alarming new level, with Marks & Spencer (M&S) at the center of a wave of incidents that have left store staff shaken and industry leaders demanding urgent action. In recent weeks, a string of high-profile episodes involving shoplifting, violence, and anti-social behavior has prompted M&S executives to call for a coordinated crackdown on what they describe as a growing and increasingly brazen threat to both workers and customers.
The trouble boiled over in Clapham, south London, on the weekend before April 3, 2026. According to BBC reporting, police responded to reports of anti-social behavior involving several hundred young people, many of whom were seen entering an M&S store. The situation escalated on Tuesday, March 31, when about 100 officers were called to Clapham High Street as young people attempted to access shops and a restaurant, lit fires, and set off fireworks on Clapham Common. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that five people were assaulted during the disorder, including four police officers and one member of the public.
The incidents in Clapham are just the tip of the iceberg. M&S retail director Thinus Keeve, writing in The Telegraph and on the company’s website, painted a grim picture of what retail staff are facing daily. "In the past week alone we have had gangs forcing open locked cabinets and stripping shelves, two men brazenly emptying the shelves of steak and walking out, a large group of young people ransacking a store before assaulting a security guard, a colleague headbutted trying to defuse a situation and another hospitalised after having ammonia thrown in their face," Keeve detailed. He continued, "We need to recognise this for what it is. A systemic issue. A growing issue. And one that demands a co-ordinated response across government, policing and industry."
Keeve’s frustration was echoed by Adam Hawksbee, M&S’s head of external affairs, who told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, "Stores have been targeted by organised criminal gangs, leaving staff worried about coming into work." Hawksbee stressed that while some level of retail crime has always existed, "it does feel in the past weeks and months that the problem is getting worse." He also noted that M&S has invested "tens of millions" into security measures but said, "there is only so much you can do" without more robust police intervention and better use of data to identify crime hotspots.
Across the country, similar scenes have played out. In Rochdale, police imposed a dispersal order on Friday and Saturday, March 27-28, after groups were reported to be harassing staff and causing criminal damage. West Midlands Police imposed restrictions on gatherings in Solihull for 36 hours from Monday, March 30, after reports of children and teenagers causing criminal damage. The Metropolitan Police stated that six teenage girls were arrested after two separate incidents of anti-social behavior in Clapham, which officials believe were "fuelled by online trends." Police said they expect more arrests in the coming days.
Hawksbee praised the Metropolitan Police’s response to the Clapham incident as "excellent," according to Sky News, but cautioned that the chaos there is "just part of the broader picture." He highlighted a shocking statistic: 1,600 retail workers a day experience violence and abuse. "Some incidents will be serious and organised crime, and others will be individuals that are under the influence of alcohol and drugs. And this can be really scary, both for our colleagues working in the store and for the security guards," Hawksbee said. He added, "We've had ammonia thrown in the face of one of our security guards. In the last week, we've had a store manager headbutted and these incidents are not isolated to us at M&S. They're true across the retail sector and that's why we feel like we needed to speak out."
The role of social media in fueling these disturbances has come under scrutiny. According to Sky News, scores of teenagers and young adults used apps like TikTok and Snapchat to coordinate so-called "link-ups" before surging into shops. London Mayor Sadiq Khan condemned the scenes in Clapham as "utterly unacceptable" and pledged that "the culprits will face the full force of the law." Khan’s office stated that police are now working with social media companies to clamp down on viral online content that promotes violence and theft.
In response to the mounting crisis, M&S chief executive Stuart Machin has written to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, urging the government to take stronger action. Keeve, in his letter posted on M&S’s website, was blunt: "Without a government seriously cracking down on crime and a mayor that prioritises effective policing, we are powerless." He called for a "stronger, faster and more consistent police response, using tools that already exist to target repeat offenders and crime hotspots." Keeve also questioned official claims that crime rates are falling in London, stating, "I keep hearing crime is falling, especially in London – something none of us believe, and very few people working in retail would see."
Government officials have been quick to respond. Crime and Policing Minister Sarah Jones described the recent incidents as "disgraceful" and urged police to use all available tools to protect workers and punish offenders. "We're giving police stronger powers, ending the immunity for thefts under £200 so that shoplifters can be prosecuted," she announced. A spokesperson for the Mayor of London added, "Shoplifting is not a victimless crime and the mayor fully supports the Met Police's data-driven and targeted approach to tackling prolific offenders."
Despite these assurances, M&S leaders remain adamant that more needs to be done. Hawksbee called on local and national leaders to "all get round the table, roll our sleeves up and try to deal with this challenge because at the moment it feels like it's going in the wrong direction." Keeve urged authorities to "support our police. Help them show up in our communities when and where we need them. Give them the resources they need to tackle crime effectively, and ensure they work with retailers to consistently use the tools we've developed to share data and actively target offenders."
The recent surge in retail crime and anti-social behavior has left many in the industry feeling vulnerable and frustrated. With the Bank Holiday weekend approaching, the Metropolitan Police have increased officer numbers and put in place a "strong policing plan... to prevent and deal with any future disorder." As the debate continues, one thing is clear: retail workers across the UK are facing unprecedented risks, and the call for action from the country’s biggest retailers is growing louder by the day.
For M&S and its staff, the hope is that this renewed focus will finally bring about the coordinated response they say is urgently needed to protect both employees and the wider community from the escalating threat of retail crime.