- Shop workers have spoken out about the mental health impact caused by abusive customers.
- Three quarters have experienced abuse this year, with 43% wanting to quit their jobs as a result
- The Retail Trust’s campaign is calling on shoppers to help restore humanity to the high street this Christmas
Over three quarters (77 per cent) of shop staff have experienced intimidating behaviour in the last year and a quarter (23 per cent) were physically assaulted according to a new survey of 1,000 workers by the charity Retail Trust.
Close to half (43 per cent) said they are being abused or attacked every week.
It is a rise of 10 per cent on last year, when 33 per cent told the Retail Trust they were experiencing weekly verbal or physical assaults. 45 per cent felt the abuse had got worse in the last two years.
The findings are backed up by a separate YouGov poll for the Retail Trust which discovered a third (34 per cent) of people have witnessed someone being rude or abusive towards a shop worker in the past year.
30 per cent of 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.
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.
Of those experiencing abuse, 62 per cent feel stressed and anxious going into work and 43% are looking to quit their job or the retail industry altogether as a result. 45 per cent of all shop workers said they now feel unsafe at work.
Let’s Respect Retail
The Retail Trust’s Let’s Respect Retail campaign 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.
Its YouGov poll of 2,000 UK adults found nearly a quarter (24 per cent) 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.
‘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.”
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.
‘Retail workers are treated as less than human’
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.”
‘I can tell how an interaction is going to go’
“If they don't make eye contact with me, don't smile, don't say hello, I can just tell by someone's mannerisms how the interaction with them is going to go,” said Stephanie, 42, who works for an independent retailer in Conwy, Wales.
“Particularly in the last year it's got really bad. People will come in and immediately start tutting. They'll sigh and they'll huff and when they get to me, they'll throw down whatever it is that they're buying in a really rude way. Their expectations of how long it takes to shop in real life have gone out the window and it makes you feel like you're not a person and that you’re absolutely nothing to them.
“The adrenaline leaves you feeling quite shaky when someone treats you like that and most people don't have the opportunity to get over it. You just have to smile and carry on and act like nothing happened.”
‘Things are always worse at Christmas’
“You wouldn't believe how many people just can't put their phone away for a millisecond while they finish their purchase,” said Nicola, 59, who left retail in 2023 after working on Oxford Street for more than 10 years. “It's so rude to be on your phone when someone is trying to give you service, and then sometimes they've walked away, not looked at you, not said thank you.
“Other times, people would come in first thing in the morning and start shouting at you, and you knew they'd just come in to gripe at someone before they go into work. And things were always worse at Christmas, when stress would bring out the worst in people. You wouldn't ever get a smile from anyone and we’d bring Christmas temps in, and then they got abused.
“I work in hospitality now, in a VIP lounge attached to a huge arena. I would never go back to retail. It was just too much to handle in the end. For sanity purposes, I just had to leave.”
Shop workers have also taken 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 to restore dignity to the high street. Big screens in shops and shopping destinations across the country are being used to highlight the campaign later this month.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “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.”
H&M has made a donation to help fund the Retail Trust’s support for retail workers facing abuse, which includes counselling, training, and a 24-hour wellbeing helpline.
Karen O’Rourke, managing director at H&M UKIE, said: “The Retail Trust’s findings are really concerning and reveal a reality no retail worker should face. Everyone deserves to feel safe, valued, and supported at work but the impact of rising abuse is unacceptable.
“Retail is a cornerstone of our communities and economy, employing millions and offering meaningful careers. We urge every customer to shop with empathy and remember the people that make it all possible, especially during the busy festive season. As an industry, we must address this and ensure retail remains a place where people can thrive and feel respected.”
Jo Hayward, vice president, mobility & convenience retail of bp, said: “I care deeply about people and the kind of environment we create together. Everyone deserves to feel safe, respected and valued at work.
“At bp, we’re proud to support the Retail Trust’s call for kindness and respect – and to be part of a campaign that really matters. Our retail colleagues are the heartbeat of our business and a key part of communities. We’re committed to building a culture where they feel protected, supported and appreciated every day.”
Anthony Houghton, group CEO of Holland & Barrett, said: “At Holland & Barrett, caring for our colleagues’ wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do. They’re the ones who make a difference for our customers and communities every day, and they deserve to feel safe, respected and valued at work.
“Sadly, we’re seeing more incidents of abuse towards retail workers, and that’s just not okay. Everyone should be able to come to work, or to shop, feeling safe and supported.
“That’s why we’re proud to support the Retail Trust’s Respect Retail campaign, standing alongside others to tackle retail crime and to bring more kindness, dignity and respect back to our high streets.”
Bruce Findlay, managing director, retail, at Landsec, said: “Retail employees are vital to the health and growth of the retail industry. Yet these statistics paint a stark reality that no person should have to face going to work each day - and puts their contribution to retail at risk. If those, like us at Landsec, that operate and invest in retail want to succeed, it’s only right that we do everything we can to create a safe and supportive environment.
“From interventions like training to manage challenging situations, through to simple acts of kindness - a hello, a thank you, a smile – the Retail Trust’s campaign is an important reminder of how we can all make a difference. Retail employees deserve to feel safe and respected - it creates a better environment for them, our brand partners, and our guests.”