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Reducing Aggression and Protecting Staff
Retail and supermarket employees face increasing levels of verbal and physical abuse from customers.
Confrontations can escalate quickly, creating a stressful and unsafe working environment that impacts both staff wellbeing and business operations.
Recent statistics paint a worrying picture:
Around 455 incidents of verbal or physical assaults on retail staff occur daily
83% of retail workers have experienced verbal abuse at work
Fewer than 6% of incidents lead to prosecution
These figures not only highlight the severity of the problem but also underline the urgent need for proactive safety measures. The impact on staff morale, retention and mental health is significant, with many leaving the industry due to stress and anxiety.
Retailers across the UK are equipping staff with Body Worn Cameras to help deter abusive behaviour, provide clear video evidence of incidents and improve overall workplace safety.
Turning the Tide on Retail Abuse
Body Worn Cameras are proven to deter aggressive behaviour and provide secure, high-quality video evidence when incidents occur. The visible presence of a camera, especially with forward-facing screens, changes behaviour by making individuals aware they are being recorded.
Evidence from industry studies shows their effectiveness:
WCCTV’s Body Worn Cameras are lightweight, easy to operate and fully encrypted for data security. When paired with our Evidence Management Software, they provide a complete solution that protects staff, reduces conflict and safeguards vital evidence.
Protecting Those on the Frontline
The distinctive forward-facing screen on WCCTV's body cameras plays a significant role in de-escalating conflict. When individuals are aware they are being recorded, their behaviour dramatically improves.
Small, discreet and lightweight, WCCTV's body cameras are barely noticeable to the wearer once they are attached. Despite the unit's compact size, it contains market-leading functionality and features.
The device's 1080p video recording capability means you will capture high-quality video evidence, whether for police investigations, identifying individuals for convictions or training employees.
The optional extended battery pack easily clips onto the bottom of the Body Camera, providing an additional 8 hours of run time, making it ideal for applications beyond the usual daily working pattern.
All footage captured on a WCCTV Body Camera is encrypted to AES 256-bit standard, making it completely secure and inaccessible to unauthorised users.
WCCTV’s cloud based Evidence Management Software (EMS) provides simple and secure management of videos taken from a WCCTV Body Worn Camera.
UK Manufactured Body Camera
The WCCTV Body Camera is a key tool for creating safer retail environments. Its simple, one-button operation makes it easy for staff to start and stop recording in high-pressure situations, ensuring no critical moment is missed.
A configurable pre-event recording buffer of up to 120 seconds captures vital footage from before an incident begins.
The camera’s forward-facing screen acts as a clear deterrent to aggressive behaviour, while its 1080p HD recording provides detailed, reliable evidence of any incidents.
The unit is lightweight, discreet and designed for all-day comfort; it integrates seamlessly into daily retail operations without hindering staff movement.
Every unit is manufactured in the UK and features AES 256-bit encryption, ensuring recorded footage is fully protected and accessible only to authorised personnel.
When paired with WCCTV’s Evidence Management Software, it becomes part of a complete, secure system for managing and sharing video evidence.
Camera Specifications
The WCCTV body camera is compact, robust and easy to operate, providing all the functionality needed for safety and security in busy retail environments. It ensures store staff have reliable protection and high-quality video evidence whenever it’s needed.
Key Specifications:
Dimensions (HxWxD): 76mm x 57mm x 28mm
Weight: 124g
1080p HD video recording
Forward-facing screen
Touchscreen control and navigation
Water and dust resistant
Configurable pre-event recording buffer
AES 256-bit video encryption
Full shift battery plus extendable add-on battery option
A Complete Body Worn Video Solution
Rental and Purchase Options
Retail security needs can change quickly, especially during seasonal peaks or when tackling specific store challenges. WCCTV offers Body Cameras on both flexible rental and outright purchase options, giving you control over how you deploy them.
Rental: Our rental service is ideal for temporary requirements such as seasonal staff increases, high-profile product launches or when trialling body cameras before long-term adoption. With no upfront cost, no servicing burden and no equipment storage requirements, you only pay for the cameras when you need them.
Purchase: For retailers looking to equip staff on a permanent basis, purchasing ensures your teams always have the protection they need. A consistent setup across all staff ensures familiarity with both the camera and our Evidence Management Software, making operation and evidence handling seamless.
Both our rental and purchase options are supported by our UK-based technical team who provide guidance, diagnostics and maintenance throughout the life of your equipment.
Evidence Management Software
WCCTV’s Evidence Management Software (EMS) provides a secure, cloud-based platform for storing, reviewing and sharing footage captured on our Body Cameras.
It has been designed to make managing retail-related incidents simple while ensuring compliance with all relevant data protection standards.
Built on world-leading cloud infrastructure, the EMS offers advanced data security, intuitive navigation and unlimited scalability. Authorised users can access video evidence from any location, allowing for quick review and response to incidents across multiple stores.
Videos can be searched and sorted by key metadata such as date, time, location and device number. Additional tools allow you to clip, annotate and securely share footage with law enforcement or internal teams. All activity is logged with a full audit trail to maintain evidential integrity.
The EMS is ISO27001 certified and supports features such as image redaction and utilisation reports, ensuring sensitive data is handled in line with the highest security standards.
Supporting Systems for Body Camera Deployments
WCCTV’s Smart Hubs are the quickest and most efficient way to prepare your Body Cameras for the next shift.
The hubs provide simultaneous charging for multiple cameras while automatically uploading recorded footage to the Evidence Management Software.
The hubs are fully self-contained, meaning they do not interfere with your existing IT infrastructure. Onboard storage allows direct video transfer, so cameras are ready for use as soon as they are charged. A full charge takes less than 3 hours, ensuring minimal downtime and maximum availability.
Smart Hubs make camera turnaround easy for store managers and security teams, keeping devices operational without creating extra workload.
Accessories
WCCTV offers a range of accessories, including magnetic lanyards, leather pouches and clip mounts. These ensure cameras are securely positioned for optimal recording and comfort.
Proven Results in the Retail Sector
Kingdom Security, one of the UK’s leading providers of trained security personnel, works with many of the UK’s major supermarkets.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, their guards faced increased risks while enforcing in-store safety measures such as social distancing, limiting customer numbers and ensuring mask compliance. These new duties led to a significant rise in verbal and physical abuse towards staff.
WCCTV rapidly deployed over 2,000 Body Worn Cameras to more than 600 supermarkets within five weeks, ahead of the agreed schedule.
The forward-facing screen on each camera acted as a strong deterrent, with trial data already showing a 60% reduction in violence. In addition, secure evidential footage provided critical support to police investigations.
Following the rollout, Kingdom recorded a 70% year-on-year reduction in incidents, improved staff morale and lower turnover.
Contact us
An easier way to manage lone worker safety and security. Contact our Body Camera experts and let us know how we can help.
Why Choose WCCTV
WCCTV has extensive experience supporting some of the UK’s biggest retail brands, from nationwide supermarket chains to well-known high street stores.
Our Body Cameras are trusted to protect staff, deter aggressive behaviour and deliver high-quality, secure video evidence.
We provide more than just equipment. Our fully managed service covers everything from initial site assessment to installation, training and ongoing technical support, ensuring your deployment is hassle-free and tailored to your store’s needs.
Our solutions include detailed reporting on camera usage and incident data, giving you valuable insight into trends and helping you develop proactive safety strategies.
With nationwide coverage, rapid turnaround times and proven results in the retail sector, WCCTV is the clear choice for body worn camera solutions that work.
Are Body Cameras Legal for Retail Staff to Use?
Yes. Body Cameras are legal in the UK when used in compliance with GDPR and data protection regulations. Staff must make customers aware they are being recorded, and all footage should be stored securely for legitimate purposes only.
Do Body Cameras Really Reduce Abuse in Stores?
Evidence shows that the presence of a visible body camera, especially one with a forward-facing screen like WCCTV’s, can significantly reduce aggressive behaviour. Many retail clients report fewer incidents and improved staff confidence after deployment.
How Long Does the Footage Stay on the Camera?
Footage is automatically uploaded to our secure Evidence Management Software when the camera is docked in a Smart Hub. Cameras can store several hours of HD footage, but best practice is to upload and clear devices at the end of each shift.
Can We Rent Cameras Just for Busy Trading Periods?
Yes. WCCTV offers flexible rental options that are ideal for seasonal peaks, promotional events or trial periods before a larger rollout
What Support Do You Provide After Installation?
Our UK-based technical support team provides guidance, remote diagnostics, maintenance and reporting to ensure your deployment runs smoothly at all times.
From the Blog
WCCTV is an award-winning UK designer and manufacturer of Body Worn Cameras. Our Body Camera Protect has a proven track-record in reducing the occurrences of verbal and physical abuse directed towards public-facing workers across a variety of industry sectors including retail, supermarkets, public transportation, local authorities, councils and security officers – just to name a few!
