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Certified Stab Vests for Retail Security Officers

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Stab Vests for Retail Security Officers

Trusted by 8 of the Top 10 Shopping Centres in the UK

Retail security officers are increasingly facing aggressive shoplifting, violence, weapon related incidents, and organised retail crime across the UK. Many frontline teams are expected to manage confrontational situations, protect staff and customers, and respond quickly to incidents often without immediate support.

Our lightweight certified body armour is designed specifically for modern retail security environments, helping officers operate with greater confidence, comfort, and mobility during long shifts while maintaining a professional appearance. We proudly supply body armour solutions to 8 of the top 10 shopping centres in the UK.

Excel London
Trafford Centre
Mitie
Meadowhall
Bidvest Noonan
OCS
OLYMPIC-PARK-LOGO
Liverpool One Logo
Corps Security
G4S
Croma Vigilant logo
Carlisle Support Services
ABM
SAVILLS-LOGO
Cannons-Security
Compass Group
Sodexo
CIS Security Logo
Capricorn Security Group Logo
Securitas Logo
SNSG Security logo
Securigroup Logo
Samson Security logo
Oracle Security Services logo
"We were getting around 20 weapons confiscated a month, from knuckle dusters to attack knives and baseball bats. Staff safety is number one, which is why we went down the direction of getting this amazing piece of kit. But staff comfort is just as important. Last year at DSEI, we had 40,000 people a day coming through, hundreds of protestors, and 35–36 degree heat. My team wore this without complaint. I personally wore it for two weeks straight, 16-hour days, and it was an absolute dream compared to the old kit. I even volunteered for the test myself, taking a baseball bat strike to make sure it worked. For me, that was the number one thing: does this keep my team safe? It was well worth it, because now I know my team are genuinely safer."
The Trafford Centre
The Trafford CentreHead of Security
“One of our security officers was recently involved in a serious incident where an assailant attempted to stab him during a confrontation. Fortunately, he was wearing a PPSS Stab-Resistant Vest, which completely prevented the blade from penetrating. The vest did exactly what it was designed to do protect our team from life-threatening injuries. This incident reinforced the importance of equipping our staff with the best protective gear available. PPSS has proven to be a lifesaving investment, and we will continue to trust their vests to keep our team safe.”
St Enoch Centre
St Enoch CentreContracts Manager
“Being on the motorcycles we are obviously more vulnerable because we are outside the vehicles. We are open to blunt force attacks and also knife attacks as well. We needed lightweight, ultra-strong, fitted body armour to ensure that our riders are comfortable… when we were going through the process with PPSS, the rider being ridden over and being absolutely fine was the final tick in the box for us.”
242 Security
242 SecurityDirector

Retail Security Teams Are Facing Increasing Levels of Violence

Aggressive Shoplifting

Retail crime has become increasingly confrontational, particularly during detentions and interventions.

Weapon Related Incidents

Retail security officers are increasingly exposed to knives, spikes, and improvised weapons.

Lone Working During Incidents

Many retail security officers operate alone or without immediate backup during confrontational incidents.

Long Shifts & Mobility

Protection solutions must remain lightweight, comfortable, and suitable for extended wear.

Body Armour Solutions for Retail Security

Lightweight certified protection designed for modern retail security environments.

Covert

Covert Stab Vest in Black
Covert Stab Vest in White
Clearance White Covert
Clearance Black Covert

KR1 | SP1 | VPAM W5

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Overt

Navy Blue Stab Resistant Body Armour
Reflective Black Body Armour
EN ISO 17353
Reflective Navy Blue Body Armour
EN ISO 17353
Black Stab Vest
Hi Vis Stab Vest for security professionals
EN ISO 20471

KR1 | SP1 | VPAM W5

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 Zipped

Zipped reflective stab vest in black
Stab vest with zip in navy blue
Stab vest with zip in black
Zipped reflective sab vest in navy blue
Hi Vis stab vest with a zip

KR1 | SP1 | VPAM W5

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Bespoke

Bespoke stab vest for security teams
Bespoke stab vest for security professionals
Bespoke stab vest for healthcare security teams
Branded stab vest colour options

KR1 | SP1 | VPAM W5

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Certified Protection You Can Trust

All PPSS stab resistant body armour is manufactured using high performance composite materials and independently tested to recognised international protection standards. Designed for retail security teams, shopping centres, loss prevention officers, and other public facing security environments.

• 10 Year Life Expectancy Guarantee

CAST Body Armour Standard:
• KR1 (Knife Resistance) View Certificate
• SP1 (Spike Protection) View Certificate

VPAM Body Armour Standard:
• W5 (Blunt Force Protection) View Certificate

NIJ Standard 0115.00 Certification:
• Threat Level 1 – Spike View Certificate
• Threat Level 1 – Edged Blade View Certificate

Frontline security officer wearing protective PPE including stab vest
VPAM Blunt Force Protection
UKAS Certification for Knife Protection and Spike Protection
"We were getting around 20 weapons confiscated a month, from knuckle dusters to attack knives and baseball bats. Staff safety is number one, which is why we went down the direction of getting this amazing piece of kit. But staff comfort is just as important. Last year at DSEI, we had 40,000 people a day coming through, hundreds of protestors, and 35–36 degree heat. My team wore this without complaint. I personally wore it for two weeks straight, 16-hour days, and it was an absolute dream compared to the old kit. I even volunteered for the test myself, taking a baseball bat strike to make sure it worked. For me, that was the number one thing: does this keep my team safe? It was well worth it, because now I know my team are genuinely safer."
The Trafford Centre
The Trafford CentreHead of Security
“One of our security officers was recently involved in a serious incident where an assailant attempted to stab him during a confrontation. Fortunately, he was wearing a PPSS Stab-Resistant Vest, which completely prevented the blade from penetrating. The vest did exactly what it was designed to do protect our team from life-threatening injuries. This incident reinforced the importance of equipping our staff with the best protective gear available. PPSS has proven to be a lifesaving investment, and we will continue to trust their vests to keep our team safe.”
St Enoch Centre
St Enoch CentreContracts Manager
“Being on the motorcycles we are obviously more vulnerable because we are outside the vehicles. We are open to blunt force attacks and also knife attacks as well. We needed lightweight, ultra-strong, fitted body armour to ensure that our riders are comfortable… when we were going through the process with PPSS, the rider being ridden over and being absolutely fine was the final tick in the box for us.”
242 Security
242 SecurityDirector
White Rose Shopping Centre Leeds
Trinity Leeds Shopping Centre
Trafford Centre Security in PPSS Stab Vests

FAQs

Why are more retail security officers wearing stab vests?

Retail security officers are increasingly facing aggressive shoplifting, violence, organised retail crime, and weapon related incidents across the UK. Many organisations are now reviewing frontline protection for officers operating in higher risk public facing retail environments.

What protection can retail security body armour provide?

Our body armour can be supplied with certified KR1 knife resistance, SP1 spike protection, VPAM W5 blunt force protection, and needle protection designed to help protect against a range of operational threats that may be encountered in retail security environments.

Are stab vests suitable for long retail security shifts?

Yes. Retail security officers often spend long hours on their feet in fast moving public environments. Lightweight body armour solutions help improve comfort, mobility, and wearability during extended shifts without compromising professional appearance.

Are overt or covert stab vests better for retail security teams?

This depends on the operational environment. Some organisations prefer overt body armour for visibility and deterrence, while others choose covert options for store detectives, loss prevention officers, and retail security personnel requiring more discreet protection in customer facing environments.

Can body armour be used in shopping centres and public facing retail environments?

Yes. Our body armour solutions are designed for shopping centres, retail parks, supermarkets, loss prevention teams, and other public facing retail security environments where officers may face unpredictable or confrontational situations.

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