The BRC believes that its hard work over the last six years, establishing more than 250 retail crime reduction partnerships, has demonstrated the retail sector's commitment to practical, co-ordinated crime reduction. It has also provided a model that can be adapted speedily by the business crime unit if it wants to hit the ground running.

This contribution has yet to be recognised and capitalised on in the wider context of reducing crime across a range of offending behaviour in other business sectors. The government has a lot to learn from the retail experience of crime reduction.

Retailers believe that if the business crime unit is to succeed it must deliver a clear national strategy for business crime reduction. It must also provide regular, meaningful research into business crime trends and be in a position to promote co-ordinated, effective reduction in partnership with business.

Bill Moyes, director general of the BRC, said: 'The mere creation of the business-crime unit is not a panacea for the massive crime problems facing retail and other sectors. If it is to retain the confidence of the business community it must provide leadership and must deliver measurable reductions in business crime quickly .'