WASHINGTON – The National Retail Federation today issued the following statement from Senior Vice President of Government Relations David French regarding the House introduction of the Combatting Organized Retail Crime Act.
“Organized retail crime (ORC) is a serious, multibillion-dollar threat to the retail industry. It not only disrupts store operations but puts customers and employees at risk with the violence associated with these brazen crimes. We commend Representatives Ken Buck (R-CO), Susie Lee (D-NV), Dina Titus (D-NV) and Ted Budd (R-NC) for their swift introduction of this pivotal legislation.
“As the prevalence of these crimes continues to grow, retailers are bolstering their loss prevention and asset protection efforts. It is more important than ever that we amplify the resources and enhance coordination among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in order to mitigate ORC in communities across the country.”
This legislation is the House companion to S.5046 introduced by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV). NRF worked closely with Senators Grassley, Cortez Mastro, and key federal agencies on developing the Combatting Organized Retail Crime Act of 2022 (S. 5046), and welcomed its introduction in the Senate last month.
According to NRF’s 2022 National Retail Security Survey, retailers reported a 26.5% increase in ORC, on average. Even more alarming, the vast majority (81.2%) said the violence and aggression associated with ORC increased in the past year.
About NRF
The National Retail Federation, the world’s largest retail trade association, passionately advocates for the people, brands, policies and ideas that help retail thrive. From its headquarters in Washington, D.C., NRF empowers the industry that powers the economy. Retail is the nation’s largest private-sector employer, contributing $3.9 trillion to annual GDP and supporting one in four U.S. jobs – 52 million working Americans. For over a century, NRF has been a voice for every retailer and every retail job, educating, inspiring and communicating the powerful impact retail has on local communities and global economies. nrf.com