The Role of Body Worn Cameras in Retail Stores
Blog: The Role of Body Worn Cameras in Retail Stores Published: 08/08/2025
The Role of Body Worn Cameras in Retail Stores
Ensuring the safety and well-being of retail workers is an increasing priority for British businesses, especially in light of a worrying rise in retail crime and the risks of lone working becoming more widespread. Staff on the shop floor face various daily challenges, from managing busy restocking schedules and customer queries to handling unpredictable situations with members of the public.
While many retail businesses have invested heavily in new high-street security measures in recent years, incidents of aggression, theft, and violence remain persistent across the sector. Body-worn cameras from Motorola Solutions are a practical and technology-driven solution that empowers retail teams and helps to create a safer and more productive workplace. Read on to find out more.
Protecting your shop floor retail staff
Shopworkers have always faced an element of risk from petty shoplifting, antisocial behaviour, and heated disagreements with customers. However, retail crime has now reached troubling levels across the industry, with many retailers reporting substantial increases in theft and abusive behaviour in stores. These hazards are particularly worrying for employees working in isolated parts of large shopping centres and supermarkets, while restocking, and during quieter shifts. This isolation makes workers more vulnerable to threats, and reports of staff being intimidated, threatened, or even physically assaulted underlines the critical importance of protective measures that go beyond traditional deterrence.
Why retail businesses are looking beyond traditional security
What do we mean by ‘traditional retail security?’ For many large-scale retailers, the first line of defence for staff are their security teams, backed up by CCTV. These form the backbone of traditional retail security. However, despite the presence of modern surveillance systems, alarms, and robust investment in employee training, many staff feel the need for additional support from their employer in high-risk situations. Having limited access to colleagues on the shop floor and working under lone conditions can reduce the effectiveness of existing measures, especially when security teams are overstretched and have to cover a large campus.
In these cases, new approaches may be needed – ones that actively deter negative behaviours, and provide more robust support ‘in the moment’. Body worn cameras are gaining adoption among retailers for their ability to fill this gap. These subtle devices don’t just watch – they empower employees to capture evidence, deter abuse, and call on support when it is needed most.
Four real-world benefits of body worn cameras for retail businesses:
1. Discourage antisocial and aggressive acts:
When your retail teams wear body worn cameras, their visible presence is often enough to deter would-be offenders from engaging in violent or antisocial acts. Knowing that their behaviour could be recorded makes many individuals think twice, creating a safer environment for all.
2. Clear evidence collection
Cameras provide an impartial, objective record of any incident, which can be invaluable for resolving disputes and misunderstandings, as well as supporting the police in any investigation. Body worn cameras can also safeguard your employees from false claims of misconduct, contributing to greater accountability and peace of mind on the shop floor.
3. Increasing staff confidence and well-being:
Employees who feel vulnerable working quiet shifts in isolation from colleagues often report higher levels of stress and lower morale. Body worn cameras provide them with reassurance and greater sense of protection and control. This can substantially increase their job satisfaction and confidence.
4. Operational improvements:
By helping to prevent and resolve disruptive incidents, cameras also contribute to smoother day-to-day operations, and help foster an environment in which customers and staff alike feel safer. Over time, this can strengthen customer trust in your retail brand and support more positive in-shop experiences.
Real-World Results: CSE Crosscom Success Stories from UK Universities
Case study: The Co-op’s approach with Motorola VT100 Cameras
For many retailers, real-world evidence helps clarify the value of new safety measures. The Co-op’s adoption of Motorola Solutions VT100 cameras since 2020 is a practical example. Facing steady increases in retail crime and lone working risks during the Covid 19 pandemic, the Co-op integrated these body-worn cameras with minimal staff training required. According to independent case studies, this move has already brought relief to employees—incidents are more quickly addressed, and staff feel more secure knowing that help is just a button press away. These results offer a template for other retailers seeking similar benefits.
The VT100 is a powerful device for retail use. Small, lightweight, and unobtrusive, the camera can live stream for up to 90 minutes, with a standby battery life of up to 6 months. The camera is simple to use yet sophisticated in design, enabling retail staff and their managers to obtain secure and encrypted footage that can be used for court-ready evidence if necessary, and with a clear audit trail for internal transparency.
Case Study: Poundland Improves Safety and Reduces Theft
Poundland, part of Pepco Group N.V., rolled out Motorola Solutions VT100 body cameras across 177 high-risk stores after a successful trial. Working with CSE Crosscom, the deployment was tailored to each site and integrated into the stores’ existing systems.
The impact was clear: stores using the cameras saw an 11% drop in violent incidents, while others without cameras experienced an increase. Some high-shrinkage locations were removed entirely from internal watchlists. Staff also reported feeling safer and more confident, and the high-quality footage has proved invaluable for investigations and prosecutions.
As Poundland’s Profit Protection Manager put it:
“Our body cameras help us love our customers, care for our colleagues, and protect the pounds.”
What next?
The challenges and experiences of high street retailers like the Co-op highlight the sector-wide need to increase worker safety on the shop floor. Body worn cameras, such as the VT100 from Motorola Solutions, are a scalable and affordable solution, delivering measurable results for retailers looking to improve working conditions for their employees. For more information, please contact the team at CSE Crosscom today.