The British Retail Consortium (BRC) and UKHospitality have urged the public to be considerate to retail and hospitality workers and fellow consumers over the busy Christmas period amidst a wave of violent and abusive incidents.

The BRC referred to recent research from Usdaw which found that over the past 12 months, 65 per cent of retail staff have experienced verbal abuse, while 42 per cent have been threatened by a customer.

Managing director of Poundland Austin Cooke said that he "wholeheartedly" backs the organisation's call for kindness from everyone shopping in stores over the coming weeks.

“As the clock counts down to Christmas Day, retail stores and websites will become increasingly busy," said Helen Dickinson, chief executive, BRC. "People in retail are working hard to look after customers, helping them find what they need, keeping shelves stocked and delivering goods.

"While tensions can run high, any mistreatment of our colleagues will not be tolerated. Confrontations, be it verbal abuse or physical assault, can take a huge toll on victims, their families and their colleagues."

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