IOC chair Carl Lomas in Carmen livery tie at Manchester to talk retail risk in an evolving express logistics client chain. He introduced clarity of the Four Streams of Express Logistics: mail, parcel, food and meal. Explained the IOC as both a voice and conduit to sector, round table event access, inviting retail risk members to the IOC security group, chaired by Andy Magromalis Kinexia.

Risk and danger on the streets of the City of London, Lomas focused on the ceremony of Cartmarking, 500 year history of identity of trade vehicles, numbering carts delivering goods from the Thames into the City, taxing them for trade of delivery by the Guild of the day.

Moving from the case study, Lomas then identified those in front of modern day retail with a 'stand up, sit down' exercise. If your household shops on line, please stand up. If you have a cheque book, sit down. If you ever shopped in Woolworths, sit down. If you went to the Boxing Day sales, sit down. If you remember not shopping on a Wed afternoon or a Sunday, sit down. Those of you left are living in modern retail.

"But let me bounce back in retail history, Barcodes at the heart of our tracking are 75 years old. Remember in 1982 an 8-bit ZX Spectrum advert in the newspaper - it said send a cheque, it will be despatched within 28 days. 1984 first cell phone Motorolas Dynatac 8000X. in today's value £9,500

First e-retail is only 30 years ago. August 11th 1994 - Sting album was the first online encrypted credit card purchased delivery, reported in the New York Times. Netmarket co, client paid 12.48 dollars, goods delivered New Hampshire to Philadelphia.

The numbers today - 65 billion deliveries across the four streams to almost 40 million doors, door count up 205 thousand in 2025.

A uniquely modern sector, but a sector reluctant to change – 75 year old bar codes and set with repeat at the heart of every delivery model. Lomas explained the epress sector is set in its year. Valentine's is a prep for Mother's Day, Black Friday has extended across Nov and Dec. Secret product launches are the only major game changer. The biggest risk day of the year is tomorrow's £2k iPhone 18! Lets talk other 'dangers at door' and dog attack!

Lomas detailed the IOC work with DfE as a trailblazer to build the apprenticeship qualifications from Level 2 delivery operative and L2 sortation to Hons degree apprenticeships, all rich in risk and security training. Apprenticeships built of units, K & S – example of knowledge of a van lock with skill to make it secure.

In apprenticeships there are B units- teaching Behaviours, integrity & honesty.

Lomas congratulated DCI Kate Brummell from the July IOC round table and the keynote she had just delivered at Retail Risk.

His message to those at Retail Risk, ‘If you have a sector keynote, the IOC wishes to hear from you. We will direct that energy into the future of our sector, we will report your detail in the Sunday email; 8 thousand words in our sector Sunday email sent every week. If you have a news item for our operators, the IOC will send it to our security members and likely post it to our busy news web.’ ‘We are a conduit for you to delivery security knowledge skills and behaviours to the express sector.’

National Police OPAL police team at Retail Risk

Mark Cartwright and National Highways team at Retail Risk