More than one in four UK businesses were directly affected by civil unrest last year, with many retailers and high street businesses still reeling from the various riots that swept the country in 2024.
This is according to new research by global risk management firm Gallagher, which has laid bare the significant impact on businesses from last year’s civil unrest – particularly the damage caused by protests in the wake of the Southport stabbings in the summer.
Of those affected by civil unrest incidents in the past year, 47% reported being forced to close their premises, 44% said their premises were damaged, and 40% said either stock or equipment was damaged or stolen.
Analysis of Armed Conflict Location & Event Data stats showed that nearly 1,000 protests took place last year – the equivalent of just short of 20 events per week – with public discontent around the topics of climate change, politics and immigration driving protesters to the streets.
Some of those events notably ended in violence and looting, with huge financial losses for high street businesses – it was estimated that insured losses from the civil unrest events that followed the Southport stabbings between 30 July and 7 August alone were around £250m, with millions more since claimed from public money in compensation payments.
Convenience store owners reported having their shops looted and left in ruins, with reports of shops set ablaze during confrontations.
Shop owners are now extremely concerned that such incidents may continue to take place in 2025, Gallagher’s survey showed.
More than one in three (35%) have increased security to prepare for potential future unrest, while one in four have taken action to assess the risks they are facing. An equal number have had to review their insurance to make sure they are covered in the events of riot-linked damages.
“It is clear that all kinds of civil unrest in the UK is a problem and is weighing heavily on the minds of business leaders,” said Jonathan Rae, director of crisis management at Gallagher.
“With many of the underlying conditions cited by business leaders still present in the UK, from inflationary pressures to societal division, it is no surprise UK businesses are concerned about another year of antisocial behaviour, and many making plans to protect themselves against its impact.”
The current unstable economy landscape, as well as generational and regional imbalances in the UK, were cited by business leaders as societal problems exacerbating the unrest felt across the country.
Many business leaders also blamed the power of social media for the flare-ups. Nearly half (44%) citing the spread of information both correct and incorrect as a major contributing factor.
Those surveyed also said they were concerned about risks from antisocial behaviour on their trading as retail crime continues to rise – ONS data showed shoplifting rose by a third in the 12 months to June 2024.
Of those affected by antisocial behaviour, around 40% said they had experienced a theft, 38% had been subject to threatening behaviour and 36% said vandalism had caused a problem.
Gallagher’s research was conducted in January 2025 among over 500 UK business decision-makers at firms of all sizes and gauged the effect of civil unrest during 2024, including protests, vandalism, looting and riots.
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