Over 14 million people across the UK have witnessed violence or abuse against retail workers in the past year, according to new survey data released from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Opinium.
On top of this, 21% of respondents said they have seen incidents including racial or sexual abuse, physical assault or threats with weapons while shopping.
This was little improvement on last year, when 23% of customers witnessed such incidents.
The survey also found that nearly a quarter of people (23%) have witnessed shoplifting, highlighting the scale of the issue facing stores all over the country - almost unchanged from 24% last year. Retailers say organised criminal gangs are increasingly targeting high-value goods that can easily be resold.
Separate BRC data revealed there were 1,600 incidents of violence and abuse against retail workers every day last year. While this was down on the previous year, it remained the second highest on record. This included 118 incidents involving physical violence and 36 with a weapon.
However, violence and abuse are not limited just to those working in stores - delivery drivers are often subjected to abuse, physical violence and threats with weapons.
Retailers have spent an estimated £5bn fighting retail crime over the past five years, including CCTV, security personnel, anti-theft devices and body worn cameras. These costs add to existing financial pressures, limiting investment and contributing to higher prices for customers everywhere.
Drilling down into the data, there is a significant variety of experience across different regions in the UK. London recorded the highest proportion of people witnessing violence and abuse (32%). Yorkshire and Humberside followed at 26%, with the North East next at 23%. The East of England recorded the lowest figure, with 13% of customers witnessing an incident.
Helen Dickinson (left), chief executive of the BRC, said: “For too many people, violence and abuse are now part of the shopping experience. An incident might last seconds, but for workers and bystanders, the impact can last a lifetime.
“The Crime and Policing Bill is an important step in towards protecting retail workers and tackling crime. But as drafted, it falls short. Retail workers in England and Wales deserve the same protections as those in Scotland, including delivery drivers. Everyone in a customer-facing role should be protected - no exceptions.”
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