More than three-quarters of shop staff (77%) have experienced intimidating behaviour in the past year while a quarter (23%) were physically assaulted.
The shocking findings come from a new survey of 1,000 retail workers carried out by the Retail Trust, which is calling on shoppers to show more respect for shopworkers, particularly in the run-up to Christmas.
The Retail Trust is today kicking off a new Let’s Respect Retail campaign, which it hopes will encourage shoppers to “restore humanity to the high street”.
The survey also found 43% of staff said they are being abused or attacked every week. This marks a jump of 10 percentage points compared to a year ago, when 33% of shopworkers admitted to experiencing weekly verbal or physical assaults.
Overall 45% of those surveyed felt the abuse has got worse over the past two years, and this is taking a huge toll on shopworkers’ mental health. Of those experiencing abuse, 62% feel stressed and anxious going into work, and 43% are looking to quit their job or the retail industry altogether as a result. Forty-five per cent of all shopworkers said they now feel unsafe at work.
A separate YouGov poll for the Retail Trust also revealed just how widespread the issue of retail crime has become. The survey of 2,000 UK adults discovered a third (34%) of people have witnessed someone being rude or abusive towards a shopworker in the past year.
Simple gestures to show respect
Through the Let’s Respect Retail campaign, the Retail Trust is asking shoppers to start with simple gestures of respect such as saying hello, thank you or offering a smile.
Its poll of the general public found nearly a quarter (24%) have forgotten to make eye contact or smile at a shopworker and 20% have forgotten to say hello or thank you.
A further 71% of shoppers admitted to getting annoyed with a shopworker, delivery driver or someone working in customer services. Of these, 13% said they raised their voice or lost their temper.
“I’ve had nightmares, panic attacks, and flashbacks thanks to the abuse I’ve suffered,” explained 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.”
Michael, former store manager: ‘People would look down their noses and talk down to you simply because you worked in retail’
“I worked as a store manager, so I was at the frontline 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.”
Retail Trust CEO Chris Brook-Carter 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 shopworkers 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 than 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 shopworker, 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.”
In the past month the Retail Trust has been running a free training course to help shopworkers deal with the rise in antisocial and threatening behaviour. Big screens in shops and shopping destinations across the country will also be used to highlight the campaign later this month.
“The appalling level of incidents of violence and abuse against our retail colleagues has got to stop,” added British Retail Consortium CEO Helen Dickinson.
“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 to be kind and respectful to retail workers as well as fellow customers.”
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