Sainsbury’s CEO Simon Roberts, Wickes chief David Wood, and Fortnum & Mason boss Tom Athron were among the executives to sign an open letter in August calling on the government to legislate to better protect service workers.
Headline signatory Jo Causon, CEO of the Institute of Customer Service (ICS), and her co-signatories from retail, hospitality and adjacent sectors, want the Crime and Policing Bill currently moving through Parliament to protect all public-facing workers. It includes specific legislation relating to assault of retail workers, but the ICS is calling for it to go further to deter crime in all service sectors.
Why the clamour now? ICS data from January shows 42% of customer service staff across every sector experienced abuse in the prior six months, up 19% compared to a similar study the institute published in March 2024.
Some 37% of workers surveyed said they had considered leaving their role due to hostility, and a quarter of them have taken sick leave as a result. It’s not just a problem with personal consequences, it’s a business continuity issue as well.
And the British Retail Consortium (BRC) reported in March nearly a quarter of UK consumers had witnessed shoplifting taking place in the previous 12 months, and 23% of customers had experienced physical or verbal abuse of staff, with some incidents involving weapons.
BRC’s annual crime survey, released in January, showed retail crime resulted in record losses of £2.2bn in 2024, with the 2,000-plus incidents of violence and abuse more than three times the level recorded in 2020.
Action – be it from central government, local authorities or the police – is required. In many circumstances, retailers themselves are taking matters into their own hands and deploying new technology in the name of protecting their workers and premises.
Body-worn tech
Staff at H&M, Tesco and EE are among the retailers offering their staff the opportunity to don cameras as they work as a deterrent for criminals. In July, H&M said it was using the technology. Computer Weekly contacted the retailer to check on the results to date, but it is still in pilot stage and there are no learnings to report yet.
A spokesperson for H&M says: “We’re testing body-worn cameras in a three-store pilot to assess what beneficial impact it may have, along with staff customer service training, on de-escalating and reducing incidents for the safety of both our colleagues and customers.”
In February, Motorola Solutions announced its VT100 body cameras had been distributed to employees across Poundland stores. It claimed Poundland had reported a decrease in incidents, including an 11% drop in violence against store employees and a marked reduction in shoplifting and theft since the tech was introduced.
The footage is used by Poundland’s security and loss prevention team in its investigations. The retailer uses Motorola’s digital evidence management tool to prepare, store and process video data, according to the manufacturer – and it can tag and match body camera videos with CCTV footage and other incident data.
We’re testing body-worn cameras in a three-store pilot to assess what beneficial impact it may have…on de-escalating and reducing incidents H&M spokesperson
In February, Tesco launched a 24-hour, 365-day-a-year manned security hub as a direct response to rising crime in the retail industry. The facility was unveiled at its newly refurbished security centre in Daventry, Northamptonshire, and it aims to track down criminals targeting its premises across the UK. Staff there analyse thousands of hours of CCTV footage and they share intelligence with the police.
A Tesco spokesperson tells Computer Weekly: “Our colleagues work hard to serve our customers every day, and every member of our team deserves to feel safe at work. We continue to invest in the latest technology, resources and training for our expert team in our Security Hub. This team is dedicated to joining up evidence and supporting the police to tackle crime, helping to keep our colleagues and customers safe.”
Tesco introduced body-worn cameras to store staff in 2023, and last year some delivery drivers were offered the chance to use them too. The UK’s largest retailer said the cameras are not recording all the time and will only start if the driver feels unsafe, calling it an “unlikely event” that a driver will feel the need to begin recording.
“Any footage that is taken will be stored securely and will only be used if an incident requires investigation,” the grocer says online, adding that the driver will inform people if they are to start recording.
Meanwhile, tech retailer Currys announced in May that it is working with VoCoVo to ramp up security in its stores. The manufacturer’s headsets are being introduced to Currys shops, with early feedback from staff suggesting they feel safer wearing them because they can communicate with colleagues when confronted with shoplifters as the equipment doubles up as a comms tool for general operations.
The retailer has also partnered with Auror to introduce crime reporting software into its stores. The aim of using this platform is to speed up and improve the accuracy of crime reporting, and the individual shops can share information on criminals and incidents which is then matched with data nationwide.
Mobile and broadband services retailer EE is embarking on a new store strategy in 2025, investing £3m between May 2025 and March 2026 in bricks and mortar, including opening what it terms as “experience stores” containing areas where visitors get “hands on with tech”. In August, it opened in Merry Hill near Birmingham – its third store of 2025 in the new format, following openings in Nottingham in May and Sheffield earlier in the month.
Asif Aziz, EE retail director, says security and tech to protect customers and employees is a key feature as the store estate is refreshed. “As part of our continued investment into our retail estate, we’re not only enhancing experiences for our customers, but also ensuring both they and our teams are safe,” he says.
“Our staff wear the latest body cameras, which instantly transmit footage to our monitoring teams and law enforcement. In our stores, we utilise smart tracking systems to track stolen goods and monitor them in real-time until they are recovered.
“We also employ time delay stock safes, as well as fogging and misting devices that, when triggered, instantly fill part of the store with disorienting fog and forensic marking solutions. All these security measures are helping to effectively deter and detect criminals.”
CCTV-plus
In June, frozen food retailer Iceland acknowledged it had started trialling use of facial-recognition technology in a small number of its stores, including in its The Food Warehouse shops.
“We will do anything and everything to help protect our staff and customers,” the retailer’s executive chairman Richard Walker said on LinkedIn, following a backlash which included privacy campaign group Big Brother Watch calling the move “chilling”.
“Organised and targeted retail crime is out of control. Every single week, I see the reports from our stores and read about our colleagues being abused, threatened and assaulted simply for doing their job,” Walker added.
Reflecting on the deployment of facial-recognition tech from Facewatch, he added: “I know some people will not like that – but I make zero apologies for it. If I must choose between upsetting a campaign group or protecting our colleagues from violence, I will pick our people every time.
“Let me be clear – this technology does not monitor innocent shoppers. It does not store your data. It helps trained store teams to calmly identify repeat offenders who are known to use violence or intimidation. That is it.”
Iceland estimates it could see a 30% reduction in violent incidents where the Facewatch technology is deployed. More Iceland stores will be fitted with the tech later in 2025, with retailers such as Home Bargains, Farmfoods, Sports Direct, B&M, Flannels, Spar and Morrisons Daily already using it in parts of their respective estates, according to Facewatch.
In June, Trigo Retail, the company known for its high-tech, computer vision stack which supports checkout-free stores for several retailers across Europe, announced it had started to play in the loss prevention space by offering an alternative to CCTV.
The company’s new artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled platform helps retailers to track shoppers as anonymised figures, identifies which items are picked up and then cross-references these goods against what is scanned at checkout. Instant alerts are made to store security in the event of potential theft – and, like Facewatch, Trigo says it never uses, collects or stores any biometric data.
Daniel Gabay, co-founder and CEO of Trigo Retail, says: “The most effective retail security technology today isn’t about adding more barriers or locks – it’s about making existing infrastructure smarter.
“Computer vision AI essentially gives cameras a ‘brain’ to interpret what they’re seeing in real-time, providing stores with unprecedented intelligence about when and how hidden theft is happening in the store. When implemented correctly in a non-biometric way that protects shopper privacy, this technology preserves what matters most: honest shoppers should feel welcomed and trusted by their store, never embarrassed or under suspicion.”
Loyalty and the law
Iceland also announced in August its customers who alert staff when they see shoplifters in store will be eligible for a top-up reward to spend via their Bonus Card loyalty scheme.
The company is looking at all angles to protect itself including this quasi-vigilantism. Iceland customers are strongly encouraged not to directly interact with any shoplifters, but to find the nearest member of staff and alert them instead with a detailed description – and when doing so, they will be topped up with a £1 reward that can be spent in the shop immediately.
Walker called shoplifting a “plague” spreading across big cities, market towns and villages. “To combat any activity in Iceland stores, we’re encouraging our loyal customers to help sound the alarm, and if they do help to catch a shoplifter, we’ll top up their Bonus Card to spend in store,” he says.
EE’s Aziz adds: “While advanced technology is a key part of our security strategy, we also put a lot of focus on our training. We invest thousands of hours in onboarding new team members and in regular training to ensure our employees know how to handle thefts safely, quickly and effectively. We are always looking for ways to improve our processes to protect everyone who walks through our doors every day.”
There’s only so far the individual measures retailers are adopting can protect their people and their profits. Further top-down deterrents are required from policymakers, while law keepers need to dedicate resources to public-facing industry. The BRC wants processes put in place to ensure police attend all incidents of crime in retail stores and follow up as necessary.
“The government must act now to enshrine vital protections for all our service workers; without action now to create a strong deterrent, this problem will continue to grow,” Causon writes in her open letter. “These professionals form the bedrock of our society and economy. They are essential to community building, social cohesion and economic growth – let’s seize this moment to protect all public-facing workers.”
Researchers explore the potential of stress-controlled and strain-controlled cyclic triaxial testing for liquefaction resistance evaluation of chemically treated soils. Credit: Professor Shinya Inazumi , Shibaura Institute of Technology, Japan. www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S259012302502938X?via%3Dihub
Soil liquefaction can be a major threat to the infrastructure and built environments in an earthquake-prone area. This happens due to substantial loss of soil stiffness and strength due to applied stress. Loose, moderately granulated, sandy soil is more prone to soil liquefaction.
Recognizing the urgent need to enhance urban resilience in seismic-prone regions, particularly in rapidly urbanizing areas vulnerable to such hazards, scientists are focusing on different mitigation techniques. Soil compaction technique is one of the effective methods developed to enhance the liquefaction resistance of the soil.
However, developing a proper evaluation method is also of the utmost importance. Traditionally, stress-controlled cyclic triaxial tests are done for the evaluation. However, the results are often inconsistent and this can lead to an overestimation of the resistance capacity.
Also, focusing on sustainable options is an inevitability in present times. So, the scientists are also trying to focus on formulating and testing environment-friendly grouting substances.
To bridge the methodological gaps and promote safer, eco-friendly ground improvement for the global infrastructure, Professor Shinya Inazumi from College of Engineering, Shibaura Institute of Technology (SIT), Japan, along with a small team of researchers, developed a strain-controlled testing method using cyclic triaxial.
“We pursued this research after recognizing the urgent need to improve urban resilience to earthquakes,” mentions Prof. Inazumi, talking about the motivation for the study. The findings were published in the journal Results in Engineering.
As a grouting solution, an environment-friendly formulation of colloidal silica (CS) and geothermal-recycled sodium silicate were used. Compared to conventional grouting solutions, this reduces carbon-dioxide emissions during production by approximately 60%. Three different concentrations of CS–6%, 8%, and 10% were tested.
The stress-controlled test was conducted following previously established protocol. For the strain-controlled cyclic triaxial test, double-amplitude axial strain was maintained constant at 5%, simulating large cyclic deformations from earthquakes. Cumulative dissipated energy was evaluated as an alternative indicator of liquefaction potential.
The phase transformation angle was evaluated. Cumulative dissipated energy as a unified evaluation index was also evaluated. Pore pressure-based criterion, strain-based criterion, and energy-based criterion were assessed to evaluate the resistance.
The test result revealed that a higher concentration of CS increases the resistance, with 10% concentration yielding the best result. Analysis of the cumulative dissipated energy confirmed that energy-based evaluation is a viable approach for assessing liquefaction resistance.
“This new method is superior to the present evaluation methods,” mentions Prof. Inazumi. “It reduces the need for multiple specimens, which makes it cost-effective and produces consistent, reproducible results.”
The team also observed a linear relationship between dissipated energy and liquefaction resistance ratio (RL20, 5%) which can be a potential calibration path for integrating strain-controlled results into existing stress-based design charts. This can save time and improve previous test results significantly.
The new method’s potential of being integrated into energy-based designs supports its use in performance-based seismic design frameworks, as proposed in recent studies.
“The research has profound real-world applications, especially in earthquake-prone regions,” says Prof. Inazumi.
“One key application is retrofitting existing structures, based on the updated test results. Chemical grouting with CS can be used to mitigate liquefaction hazards in waterfront projects, such as expanding school buildings, residential complexes, and medical facilities near seawalls.”
Furthermore, this method can stabilize loose sands against lateral spreading. The eco-friendly nature of the silica formulation can also ensure the safety of marine environments. Additionally, owing to the low-vibration nature of this method, it could be ideal for crowded urban areas, aiding in the development of bridges, ports, and dams in regions such as Japan and California.
Taken together, integrating this new method of testing into global standards could save lives, minimize economic losses by providing precise, cost-effective liquefaction mitigating strategies.
In the future, the testing method could be used to evaluate other types of soil, other grout types, and testing methods. The study hugely contributes to the development of performance-oriented ground improvement design under seismic loading conditions.
More information:
Khin Nyein Chan Kyaw et al, Evaluation of liquefaction resistance in chemically grouted sand using cyclic triaxial tests, Results in Engineering (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.rineng.2025.106875
Citation:
Cyclic triaxial tests: Evaluation of liquefaction resistance in chemically treated soils (2025, September 12)
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A sofa is one of the biggest investments you can make in home decor, and the last thing you want is to make the wrong choice. A good couch will be with you for a decade, and it should not only be comfortable and look great, it should also have the versatility to adapt to your needs in new spaces and seasons of your life.
You should consider a modular sofa. That’s the kind that comes in individual pieces you can pull apart, put back together, and rearrange to suit whatever you fancy. Usually, you can change the color of the cover without buying a whole new couch. And when moving day comes, you won’t need a team of three or four well-built movers to get it out the old door and into the new one.
I’ve been leading our coverage of the Best Couches for years, and many of us on the WIRED Reviews team have tested more than our fair share of different variations on the living-room seat. Modular couches are the way to go.
Switch Things Up …
Courtesy of Castlery
Castlery
Auburn Performance Fabric Chaise Sectional Sofa
If you move or travel frequently, a modular sofa is easy to take apart. No more playing Tetris in the U-Haul, trying to figure out how you’re going to bring your old couch to your new place. And it’s also easy to reconfigure. Say you’re working from home and you get a new desk, and you need the chaise portion of your sofa to face a different direction. You don’t need a new sofa, and you don’t need to entirely rearrange your living room—you can just reconfigure your existing modular couch. Or maybe you get a new coffee table and you don’t like how long your couch is in comparison. Remove a seat. It’s that easy.
That’s what recently happened to WIRED Reviews team director Martin Cizmar, who bought a new house and found that his new living room is functionally narrower than expected because of a large air register on the floor. Because he had the modular sofa from Koala, he simply removed one of the seats to turn it into an L-shape and put the extra section up in his attic for possible future use.
Courtesy of Koala
Koala
Corner Sectional Sofa
While there are a lot of standard, rectangular, boxy options, you can also play around with different fabrics and silhouettes. One example is the Castlery Auburn Performance Fabric Chaise Sectional, a modular couch with a fluffy, spill-resistant bouclé fabric and a bubbly, modern silhouette.
Modular couches can also come in handy if you have unconventional living arrangements. Do you live in a seventh-floor walk-up? A modular sofa comes in many boxes rather than as one gigantic package—you might have more steps to deal with, but you won’t have to fork over extra cash for white-glove delivery, nor will you have to convince your friends to maneuver a sofa up several flights of stairs, cursing at the banister and scraping their knuckles on narrow hallways. No ruined friendships because you said “To your left” and they tilted the whole sofa in the wrong direction. No thrown-out backs or removing doors from hinges. I’ve gotten a few modular sofas delivered to apartments with stairs, and I was able to get them into my apartment by myself. (And, if your stairs be many, you’ll only need to persuade one friend to help you out—not a bunch of them plus a truck.)
…Again and Again
Photograph: Lovesac
Modular sofas offer additional flexibility when it comes to configurations. You can make them an L-shaped sectional, a U-shaped sectional, or a traditional straight line. You can choose deep seats or shallower ones, and there are a ton of different upholstery finishes ranging from durable pet-friendly performance fabric to chenille. You could get a sleeper sofa or one designed for small spaces. Most of them come with removable, machine-washable covers, and some even have extra bells and whistles—like built-in storage or a way to charge your phone. The Lovesac Sactional is fully modular—we’re in the process of giving it a dedicated review—and you can add StealthTech to it, which gives it speakers, a wireless charging pad, and a subwoofer. A home theater in your reconfigurable couch, complete with reclining seats? It’s more likely than you think.
Modular couches do tend to be more expensive than standard options, but the convenience often outweighs the initial investment cost. For a modular sectional sofa, I find that it’s better to go with, at the bare minimum, a standard three-seater sofa and an extra piece such as a chaise lounge. That way you can move things around, but you won’t be stuck with too many additional seats, and you should still have room for an ottoman or a coffee table. Of course, if you want to go with an oversized eight-seater, you can do that too. There are some truly gargantuan modular options available, like the Cozey Ciello XL. You can even opt for an outdoor sofa, like Outer’s Teak Outdoor Loveseat, which comes with a built-in cover to protect your patio furniture from the elements.
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Outer
Teak Outdoor Loveseat With Armchairs
And while they do tend to be expensive, there are still some relatively affordable modular sofa options if you’re on a tighter budget. The Albany Park Kova has been an honorable mention in our buying guide for a couple of years, and it costs the same—or less than—similar couches that aren’t as customizable.
The long and the short of it is that a modular couch is largely similar to your standard, stuck-in-one-shape couch. You’ll still get a solid warranty. You’ll still get high-quality, high-density memory foam cushions, plush backrests, and comfortable back cushions. You still have the options for solid wood frames and stain-resistant fabric. But at the end of the day, if needed, you can change things up—something that’s only easy to do if you have a modular sofa.
If you’re in the market for a new couch, we’ve got plenty of recommendations in all shapes, sizes, and styles. You might also be able to visit a local showroom—or simply pester your comfy-couched friends about the brand they chose. (Let me know what it is in the comments!) And if you want the best of the bunch that’ll stand the test of time, you’ll consider a modular sofa.
The US Federal Trade Commission announced Thursday it has launched an inquiry into AI chatbots that act as digital companions, focusing on potential risks to children and teenagers.
The consumer protection agency issued orders to seven companies—including tech giants Alphabet, Meta, OpenAI and Snap—seeking information about how they monitor and address negative impacts from chatbots designed to simulate human relationships.
“Protecting kids online is a top priority for the FTC,” said Chairman Andrew Ferguson, emphasizing the need to balance child safety with maintaining US leadership in artificial intelligence innovation.
The inquiry targets chatbots that use generative AI to mimic human communication and emotions, often presenting themselves as friends or confidants to users.
Regulators expressed particular concern that children and teens may be especially vulnerable to forming relationships with these AI systems.
The FTC is using its broad investigative powers to examine how companies monetize user engagement, develop chatbot personalities, and measure potential harm.
The agency also wants to know what steps firms are taking to limit children’s access and comply with existing privacy laws protecting minors online.
Companies receiving orders include Character.AI, Elon Musk’s xAI Corp, and others operating consumer-facing AI chatbots.
The investigation will examine how these platforms handle personal information from user conversations and enforce age restrictions.
The commission voted unanimously to launch the study, which does not have a specific law enforcement purpose but could inform future regulatory action.
The probe comes as AI chatbots have grown increasingly sophisticated and popular, raising questions about their psychological impact on vulnerable users, particularly young people.
Last month the parents of Adam Raine, a teenager who committed suicide in April at age 16, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing ChatGPT of giving their son detailed instructions on how to carry out the act.
Shortly after the lawsuit emerged, OpenAI announced it was working on corrective measures for its world-leading chatbot.
The San Francisco-based company said it had notably observed that when exchanges with ChatGPT are prolonged, the chatbot no longer systematically suggests contacting a mental health service if the user mentions having suicidal thoughts.
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US regulator probes AI chatbots over child safety concerns (2025, September 12)
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