More than three-quarters (77%) of shop staff have experienced intimidating behaviour in the last year, according to new research carried out by industry charity Retail Trust.
The research, carried out as part of its Let’s Respect Retail campaign, also found that just under a quarter (23%) were physically assaulted while close to half (43%) said they are being abused or attacked every week. This marks a rise of 10% in weekly physical and verbal attacks compared to last year.
The findings are backed up by a separate YouGov poll for the Retail Trust which discovered a third (34%) of people have witnessed someone being rude or abusive towards a shop worker in the past year.
Nearly one in three (30%) workers said they or a colleague had even been filmed without their consent for someone’s social media, part of an online trend that saw TikTok star Mizzy jailed in 2023 for terrorising shop workers and members of the public with online pranks.
‘I had to leave retail’
“I’ve had nightmares, panic attacks, and flashbacks thanks to the abuse I’ve suffered,” admitted Michael, 25, a former store manager from Dundee. “I always wanted to work in retail but I left the industry altogether in January due to the impact this was having on my mental health.
“I worked as a store manager, so I was at the front line when it came to receiving abuse, which occurred on a daily basis. We had a lot of shoplifters in the area and whenever I tried to stop them, I’d be shouted at, spat at, punched and kicked. Other people would look down their noses and talk down to you simply because you worked in retail, so we were getting daily abuse from all sides.”
In its Let’s Respect Retail campaign, the Retail Trust is asking people to show respect and kindness to workers in the run-up to Christmas, to reduce the abuse and the impact it is having on their mental health.
The charity is calling on shoppers to help restore humanity to the high street this Christmas, starting with simple gestures of respect like a hello, thank you or a smile.
New legislation
The assault of a shop worker could soon become a standalone offence with a maximum prison term of six months, as part of the Crime and Policing Bill currently moving through Parliament.
Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of the Retail Trust, said: “Making the assault of a retail worker a specific offence will help the police deal with serious crimes, but it will do little to stop the rudeness, hostility and contempt that shop workers tell us they face during every shift.
“What was once occasional frustration has become routine abuse and we’re being contacted by people who are ignored, disrespected and shouted at every single day. They are being targeted by shoppers who treat retail workers as less than human and not even worthy of looking up from their phones for. This is taking a massive toll on people’s mental health, and many feel they have no option other but to leave jobs they once loved.
“It’s time for this to stop but it will take a collective effort. Our message at the Retail Trust is clear. Next time you are interacting with a shop worker, take time to look up, say hello, thank you and smile. Even the simplest acts of recognition can make a huge difference for people who are facing daily hostility, and it will make shopping a better experience for everyone.”
Staff training
Shop workers have also taken part in free training run by the Retail Trust to help them deal with the rise in antisocial and threatening behaviour, as part of the charity’s campaign to restore dignity to the high street.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, added: “The appalling level of incidents of violence and abuse against our retail colleagues has got to stop. Those facing these confrontations are ordinary, hardworking retail colleagues - teenagers taking on their first job, carers looking for part-time work, parents working around childcare. No one should ever go to work fearing for their safety. We remind customers be kind and respectful to retail workers as well as fellow customers.”
The Retail Trust’s Let’s Respect Retail campaign has also been supported by Zebra, Sensormatic, Reveal Media, VoCoVo, Foot Anstey, Usdaw, Manhattan Associates, Maze, Karcher and GXO.
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