Under the provisions of the Riot (Damages) Act, retailers are able to claim compensation from the police for damage to property and loss of stock.
Sainsbury’s could have submitted claims totalling up to £1m, but the company decided it was wrong to place an additional financial and administrative burden on police resources already under pressure.
Sainsbury’s CEO, Justin King, said: “Like many other businesses, we could have claimed against the police under the Riot (Damages) Act, but we think it would be far better for the police to focus on the claims made by small, local businesses and settle them swiftly and in full.
“It’s wrong to divert resources away from front-line policing at a time when our communities need the police to put their energy into rebuilding and restoring confidence in our high streets. We’ve always had a great relationship with the police wherever our stores are situated and we look forward to working with them in the future to support our local communities.”
Sainsbury’s has also extended its existing Community Grants Fund with an additional £100,000. This will be targeted at the 105 Sainsbury’s stores that were in the areas affected by the August riots so they can help benefit the local community groups that are working hard to rebuild their communities.
Source: Sainsbury’s
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