UK counter-terrorism police are working with companies including McDonald's, Tesco and River Island on a training programme to help staff to spot early signs of violent extremism in fellow workers.

Under the Home Office’s contentious anti-radicalisation programme, known as Prevent, state employees from teachers to local government workers and healthcare staff are already under a legal obligation to look out for those at risk of radicalisation and report any individuals showing signs of extremism.

The initiative — focusing on a few key areas of the private sector, such as retail, travel and entertainment — is an attempt to address what one senior officer described as a “blind spot”. It is the first time that dedicated training to identify fledgling terrorists has been extended to the private sector. But critics have raised concern that it could lead to some workers being profiled for their religious beliefs and unfairly stigmatised.