Richard Walker, chief executive of Iceland and the UK government’s cost of living tsar, proposes allowing trained retail security staff to carry certain defensive equipment to deter shoplifting and protect workers from violence. According to reports, Walker—also known as Lord Richard Walker—has submitted a House of Lords private members bill that would set out a framework for retail guards to carry items such as pepper spray and truncheons, provided they are trained. The proposals are framed around rising shop theft and increased incidents of violence or threats directed at retail staff. The bill’s aim, as described by outlets, is to improve on-the-ground safety for shop workers facing aggressive confrontations during theft. While the coverage focuses on the specific equipment suggested, both accounts tie the initiative to broader concerns about shop theft and worker security. The reports also note Walker’s public role within the government, linking the retail proposal to wider policy discussions. Details on how the measures would be implemented and regulated are not fully specified in the provided excerpts.