The Retail Trust is calling on shoppers to show respect for UK retail staff following research that 43 per cent have been abused or attacked every week over the past 12 months.

According to a survey of 1,000 workers conducted by the charity, 77 per cent of shop staff have experienced intimidating behaviour during the same period, while a quarter said they have been physically assaulted, up 10 per cent compared to 2024.

Some 45 per cent of those surveyed felt the abuse had got worse in the past two years.

The charity’s findings are backed up by a separate YouGov poll for the Retail Trust which discovered a third of the public have witnessed someone being rude or abusive towards a shop worker in the past year.

Almost a third of workers said they or a colleague had been filmed without their consent for someone’s social media.

The Retail Trust said this is 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.

Of those experiencing abuse, the research found 62 per cent feel stressed and anxious going into work and 43 per cent are looking to quit their job or the retail industry altogether as a result.

Almost half of those surveyed told the Retail Trust that they now feel unsafe at work.

Kind words

As a result of the research, the Retail Trust said it is launching a new campaign to help “restore humanity” to the High Street this festive season.
It recommends that shoppers show simple gestures of respect like saying “hello”, “thank you” or sharing a smile.

According to a YouGov poll of 2,000 UK adults, nearly a quarter of shoppers said they have forgotten to make eye contact or smile at a shop worker and 20 per cent have forgotten to say hello or thank you.

A further 71 per cent of shoppers admitted to getting annoyed with a shop worker, delivery driver or someone working in customer services.

Of these, 13 per cent said they raised their voice or lost their temper. 

Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of the Retail Trust, said he welcomed plans to make the assault of a retail worker a specific offence, but added that it would do little to stop rudeness, hostility and contempt that shop workers face daily.

“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,” he added. “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.”

Shop workers also took part in free training run by the Retail Trust last month to help them deal with the rise in antisocial and threatening behaviour.

As part of the charity’s campaign, it has offered free training to shop workers to help them deal with antisocial behaviour. It will display the campaign on big screens at shopping destinations later this month.

Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said that the “appalling” level of incidents of violence and abuse against retail employees has 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,” she added. “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 GMB shared that a survey it conducted of Asda workers has revealed similar incidences of violence and abuse.

Workers at the supermarket told the union that they have been stabbed, punched and threatened with syringes, spat at, suffered broken bones and had death threats against them and their children.

Delivery drivers said they had been chased by people in cars and been confronted by customers in the nude.

“It's completely horrifying – no one should have suffer this kind of abuse and violence at work,” said Nadine Houghton, GMB national officer. “Retail employers need to ensure they have adequate staff and security to prevent this happening - and rock-solid procedures in place to support staff when it does."

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