A legal requirement for retail insurance holders to license in-house security guards is of no practical use, it has been claimed.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) applauded the government's decision to postpone the introduction of a new system and re-evaluate the issue in three years.
The organisation suggested that such a scheme would add nothing of value to retail insurance customers and would result in an increase in costs and bureaucracy.
In addition, the group cited a report by the Security Industry Authority, which said there is no evidence of enough risk to the public to justify regulations requiring in-house licensing.
Stephen Robertson, director general of the BRC, commented: "It would have piled new costs and bureaucracy on to hard-pressed retailers while adding nothing to public protection."
Mr Robertson also pointed out that retail insurance holders have to rely on their relationship with their customers and no sensible firm would employ security guards who are a risk to the public.
Richard Dodd, head of media and campaigns at the BRC, recently claimed that retail insurance customers are currently uncertain of what the coming months hold for their trading activities.
