Tech retailer, Currys, will partner with retail communications specialist, VoCoVo, rolling out its headsets to all its UK&I stores as part of its largest ever annual investment in store safety and security.

The move, which follows a successful pilot of the VoCoVo headsets in 20 Currys stores, will see every colleague equipped with a headset by the end of this month. The headsets allow store staff to stay connected and feel safer on the shop floor following rising levels of retail crime and abuse incidents aimed at retail workers across the industry.

“Incidents of shoplifting and aggression against retail workers are continuing to rise at a completely unacceptable level,” Currys’ Director of UK Stores, Matthew Speight, said.

“VoCoVo’s headsets, alongside a range of other store safety measures, are allowing us to put our best foot forward in protecting colleagues and customers from dangerous situations.”

Matthew Speight, Director of UK Stores, Currys

“Currys is one of the most recognisable UK retail brands, known for trading the best tech products,” Olivia Robinson, Head of UK & EU Commercial Growth at VoCoVo, said.  “We look forward to continuing to support the full roll-out and seeing the impact VoCoVo makes to Currys and its colleagues.”

To headsets and beyond: Currys biggest annual investment in safety

Currys had already indicated earlier this year that headsets would feature as be a key security initiative when it announced its biggest ever annual investment in store safety measures during its ‘Safety Week’ at the beginning of April.

“UK retail crime statistics make for difficult reading, as incidents of shoplifting and aggression against retail workers continue to climb,” said Lindsay Haselhurst, COO at Currys. “That’s why I’m really pleased to roll out a number of new programmes to increase colleague and product security in our stores.”

As well as headsets, Currys will partner with Auror to launch software to speed up and improve the accuracy of crime reporting and Loss Prevention. 

Large scale investment is also being made in product security, aiming to balance the risk of theft with allowing customers to touch and feel’ tech in-store – something the retailer considers a key benefit of its omnichannel offer.

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