The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) continues to drive its campaign against retail crime within the garden centre sector, engaging with both the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for West Sussex, Katy Bourne and the Thames Valley PCC Matthew Barber, this month. Retail crime has both a financial and social impact on garden centres, which collectively suffer millions in losses each year. In 2022, it was estimated that theft accounted for a £16 million loss in turnover for HTA member garden centres.
The HTA has also sent a report to all PCCs in England and Wales, followed by meetings with several in person and online to share member experiences. As a result, garden centre locations have been added to police officer patrols, and members have been invited to local business and crime forums. Guidance has been provided for reporting crimes and using apps such as Disc to submit evidence and communicate with police and other businesses.
On 10 October, as part of the HTA regional member events, Tates of Sussex played host to a ‘Tackling Retail Crime’ event, attended by HTA members, West Sussex PCC Katy Bourne and Business Crime Sussex, as well as representatives from security systems companies. The focus was strengthening security measures and improving collaboration between local garden centres and law enforcement.
Mark Gilbert, Commercial Director, Tates Garden Centres said:
“This was an excellent opportunity to discuss with the West Sussex PCC and the head of Sussex Police Business Retail Crime the devasting effects that shoplifting is causing garden centres. We were able to explain the huge cost to our business through the crime itself and the investment cost of more advanced security technology to help combat this matter.
“The takeaway from the meeting was that the police have come to understand the high levels of shoplifting we are suffering and that organised crime gangs are involved in that work across the region targeting garden centres.
“The final message was to report all these crimes so more police resources can be allocated to this sector, and there was a promise from the police to involve their new nationwide crime unit that investigates organised criminal gangs.”