Retailers in Finland want to place restraining orders on unruly customers
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A group of Finnish retailers has called on the government to introduce a law allowing businesses to apply for restraining orders to prevent unruly customers from entering their premises.
If passed, the law would allow businesses — such as shops or supermarkets — to ban a person from their premises if they behave in a threatening manner and endanger the safety of employees or other customers.
In a joint statement, the group noted that incidents of shoplifting as well as disruptive behaviour in stores are on the rise — adding that up to 80 percent of people caught shoplifting have been found to be carrying a weapon of some description, such as a knife or brass knuckles.
Finland saw an 18 percent increase in reports of robberies last year, while the number of suspected thefts committed by children under the age of 15 has also risen significantly.
Restraining orders are typically used in Finland in relation to domestic violence or divorce situations, with the application made by a private individual rather than a business.
Photo: Pedestrians in Aleksanterinkatu, a main street in the centre of Helsinki. EU Audiovisual Service.
