ICO issues new guidance for retailers protecting against crime

A blog article by Emily Keaney, Deputy Commissioner for Regulatory Policy at the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), discusses how data protection law can help retail businesses protect against crime. The new guidance clarifies that data protection rules actively support small retailers using personal information, such as CCTV footage and facial recognition technology, to safeguard their staff, livelihoods, and premises from theft and violence.

The release of the guidance comes as the industry faces intense pressure, with the British Retail Consortium estimating that there are 5.5 million thefts and 43,000 violent incidents against retail workers annually. To support time-pressed owners, the ICO has provided practical compliance checklists, templates, and examples, developed in partnership with the Federation of Small Businesses and the National Business Crime Centre.

Training announcement: Freevacy provides comprehensive training for new and existing practitioners on the changes introduced by the DUA Act to the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA18), and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PEC-Regulations). Our courses are always up to date and provide a forum for learning and discussing how to ensure your data protection processes remain compliant. Find out more.