The supermarket is rolling out body cameras for its delivery drivers
Tesco shoppers who order their groceries online may notice a significant change when their deliveries arrive. The British supermarket giant, which has been offering home delivery services for many years, is introducing body cameras for its delivery staff.
By the end of 2025, over 5,000 delivery workers from 100 stores across the UK will be equipped with these cameras in an effort to enhance their safety at work. This initiative is a response to the increasing number of threats and violent incidents faced by Tesco’s delivery drivers in recent years.
With Tesco fulfilling 1.45 million online orders per week, the company hopes that the presence of these cameras will reduce violent and threatening incidents by half, as trials have shown them to be effective deterrents. However, the cameras will only be activated if a driver feels threatened, so they won’t always be recording.
Delivery drivers are facing additional challenges as they are now legally obliged to verify the age of customers purchasing age-restricted items such as knives, along with the usual products like tobacco and alcohol. The Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW) has welcomed this move, revealing that its members feel vulnerable to attacks due to the new knife law, reports the Express.
A union survey involving 300 workers showed that 77% had experienced abuse and 13% had been assaulted. Furthermore, 26% of those surveyed had refused a delivery in the past year due to concerns for their personal safety.
Ashwin Prasad, Tesco UK CEO, stated: “Nobody should have to face verbal or physical abuse at work, and the rollout of body worn cameras will help us protect our drivers, deter would-be offenders and reduce the number of serious incidents.”
He further commented: “The safety of our customers and colleagues will always be our first priority and we are making significant investments to make sure we lead the way in tackling retail crime and ensure everyone feels safe whenever they shop with Tesco.”
Whilst the government is introducing a specific offence of assaulting a retail worker in its Crime and Policing Bill, it does not include delivery drivers. Both Tesco and USDAW have advocated for delivery drivers to be included, highlighting that they “work alone without the protection that comes with being in a store”.
Prasad continued: “No retailer can tackle this issue alone and that’s why we welcome the government’s Crime and Policing Bill and encourage them to go further – sending a message to offenders by extending the standalone offence to cover online delivery drivers.”
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