Brits will soon find an update on the high street after Nationwide announced a major expansion of a key scheme following its takeover of Virgin Money.

The building society is rolling out dedicated Safe Spaces across 42 former Virgin Money branches, taking the total number of locations offering the service to 475 nationwide. The move means Nationwide now provides more Safe Spaces than any other financial services organisation in Britain, with the facilities available in branches where people experiencing domestic abuse can seek confidential help, contact specialist charities or simply find a place of safety away from an abuser.

The expansion comes as England plays in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with campaigners warning that incidents of domestic abuse can rise sharply around major football tournaments.

Research from Warwick Business School found alcohol-related domestic abuse reports increased by 47% on days when England won a World Cup or European Championship match.

Separate figures show police recorded 351 football-related domestic abuse incidents during Euro 2024, an 82% rise on the 193 reported during Euro 2021.

Nationwide said the latest rollout was part of its wider commitment to tackling both physical and financial abuse. The society’s enlarged branch network follows its acquisition of Virgin Money, creating the UK’s biggest branch network. Nationwide has pledged to keep all branches open until at least 2030.

The Safe Spaces scheme, operated nationally by domestic abuse charity Hestia, provides private areas within branches where visitors can access support services, make phone calls and obtain information about specialist organisations.

Of the 475 Safe Spaces now available through Nationwide and Virgin Money branches, 82 are located in towns where Nationwide operates the last remaining bank or building society branch.

Alongside the branch facilities, Nationwide has introduced measures designed to help victims of financial abuse, including an in-app feature that allows customers to block payment references from individuals sending threatening or coercive messages through bank transfers.

Mandy Beech, Nationwide’s director of retail services, said: “We urge anyone experiencing abuse to reach out – our in-branch Safe Spaces are here to support you.

“We know that a bank or building society might not be the most obvious or conventional place to turn in a moment of crisis, but through our charity partners and the tools we have built, there are real, practical things we can do to help people get the support they need.”

Sue Harper, deputy director for domestic abuse and sexual violence prevention at Hestia, said existing abusive behaviour often intensifies during major football tournaments.

She said: “While football does not cause abuse, we know that existing abusive behaviour often intensifies on match days. Heightened emotions and increased alcohol consumption can escalate harm, leaving victim-survivors dreading match days and feeling unsafe in their own homes.”

Nationwide is backing Hestia’s #SupportIsATeamSport campaign throughout the World Cup and is encouraging people to download the Bright Sky app, which provides confidential advice and details of local support services.

The app also allows users to locate their nearest Safe Space in a Nationwide or Virgin Money branch.

The building society said more than 600 branches have received domestic abuse awareness training to help staff recognise signs of abuse and direct people towards specialist support.

The day of the week that shoplifters target UK supermarkets most often has been revealed, thanks to an AI analysis of 1,000 shoplifting incidents. CCTV footage from several top supermarkets showed that 80% of stolen goods were concealed in clothing or bags before reaching the checkout, while only a fifth of stolen items were visible at the checkout.

Considering the findings, the study carried out by technology firm Trigo, which works with Tesco, REWE, Ali Nord, and Netto, noted that the statistics prove retailers’ current focus on using AI for ‘non-scan detection’ at checkouts is “fundamentally misaligned with how theft of commonly stolen products actually occurs”.

According to the study, Thursdays are the day thieves strike the most. The study revealed that thefts peaked on weekday afternoons and evenings, with Thursdays accounting for 18.4% of incidents. In contrast, Saturdays saw the lowest rates of theft, with just 4.6% of items stolen on that day.

The most frequently stolen categories were also highlighted by analysing verified theft incidents. Beverages topped the list at 22%, followed by fresh produce at 19% and bakery items at 10%, reports The Grocer.

Daniel Gabay, CEO of Trigo, said: “Most retailers today are either discovering what was stolen after the fact through inventory audits, or at best, catching visible theft at checkout

“As theft tactics evolve beyond simple scanning avoidance to systematic concealment, the question for the industry becomes whether traditional security infrastructure can adapt, or whether AI-powered tracking from shelf to exit will become the new standard.”

Various retailers have announced or introduced AI systems that monitor footage of customers at self-checkouts to catch thieves. Exclusive research for The Grocer found that 37% of UK shoppers have failed to scan at least one item when using self-checkouts.

Trigo said that the findings offered “one of the most comprehensive views to date on how theft takes place across the store environment” and “should mark a shift” in how the industry understands shrinkage, given “the majority of loss happens before the checkout point”.

Home Bargains revealed, in April, that it was targeting theft by introducing AI-enabled cameras that can detect items that pass checkout without being scanned, and in July, Lidl shared that it will be testing cameras at self-checkout in two London stores that spot when a customer fails to scan an item and play the footage back to them.