The body-worn cameras are being used at six shops in London. Credit: Yau Ming Low / Shutterstock.

British sandwich and coffee chain Pret A Manger (Pret) has initiated a trial involving body-worn cameras in six of its London stores as a new safety measure for employees.

The move comes amid growing concerns about the safety of frontline retail workers.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

The trial is currently underway at Victoria Street, Elephant and Castle, Tottenham Court Road, Russell Square, St Pancras and Islington High Street.

The cameras will be worn by team leaders or managers, and customers will be informed through signage in the stores.

The cameras will not record continuously but will be activated in certain situations at the discretion of the team leader or manager.

See Also:

The decision to trial the cameras is a response to the alarming statistics revealed by a 2023 Retail Trust survey, which found that a staggering 90% of retail workers had experienced abuse on the job.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

Despite the high incidence of abuse, the survey highlighted that 24% of retail workers did not report such incidents, and 28% were unsure of how to respond to or report them.

A Pret spokesperson said: “We started trialling body-worn cameras in a small number of our shops as a new safety measure.

“These are only being worn by team leaders or managers and are only turned on in specific circumstances.”

In June 2024, Pret decided not to proceed with its plans to open locations in Israel.

The decision is due to travel restrictions on UK staff caused by the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

The brand had finalised an agreement in December 2022 with two Israeli companies, Fox Group and the Yarzin Sella Group, to introduce Pret to Israel .

The planned expansion was a key component of Pret A Manger’s 2021 strategy to double the size of its business over the next five years.