Shopkeepers in Scotland are warning that they face a crime epidemic unless action is taken.

The Scottish Grocers' Federation (SGF) predicts that crime will cost convenience stores more than �4m this year and hundreds of staff will be assaulted.

The SGF said small retailers are pouring more and more money into fighting crime.

Last year the bill topped �600,000 but the first survey by the grocers' federation suggests those efforts are failing to stem the rise in retail crime.

Closure fears

This year it is expected that more than 5,000 shop staff will be threatened with physical violence and 800 will be assaulted.

The SGF said that if the trend continues then stores may have to close.

It wants the Scottish Executive to liaise with local authorities and police forces to give more support to the trade.

A report released in July by the Association of Convenience Stores found that four-fifths of corner shops have been victims of crime in the last year.

Shoplifting in 2000 cost the Scottish economy �181m.

The first ever crime survey from the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) concluded that store theft and other retail crime amounted to the equivalent of �83-per-household.

About one tenth of Scotland's workforce - 210,000 people - are employed in the retail sector.