The British Independent Retailers Association today (17) has said they are fully behind the ShopKind campaign which launches this week.
The #ShopKind campaign, which is backed by the Home Office and supported by major high street retailers, as well as the nation's independent shopkeepers, and the shopworkers union Usdaw.
The aid of the campaign is to to encourage positive behaviours in shops, acknowledge the important role of shopworkers and raise awareness about the scale and impact of violence and abuse against shopworkers.
Figures show that 400 shopworkers are abused every day, which has prompted the campaign to ask shoppers to be kind and to encourage people to always report violence and abuse.
BIRA, which works with over 6,000 independent businesses of all sizes across the UK, said abuse towards shopworkers was a real problem, and so were fully supporting the campaign.
Jeff Moody, Commercial Director of BIRA said: "Shopworkers should be able to go about their day-to-day business with respect and thanks from people using their invaluable service.
"This is a great campaign which we are encouraging all of our members to get behind and we want to be able to help encourage the positive behaviours in shops, and also acknowledge the important role of shopworkers in our villages, towns and cities.
"With 400 shopworkers being abused each day is a shocking figure and even one case isn't acceptable. We would therefore urge each and every shopworker who is abused to ensure they report the crime as soon as possible," he said.
Retailers body backs ongoing ShopKind campaign tackling abuse against shopworkers
iStock image
Getty Images
By Pooja ShrivastavaApr 17, 2023
Pooja Shrivastava
A passionate journalist with about a decade of experience, Pooja has developed a strong hold on the UK grocery retail sector. From exploring legislative changes, supply chain shifts, consumer buying habits, trends to retail crime, her work is driven by a deep belief in investigating, finding the truth and telling authentic unbiased stories.
Be it convenience pathbreakers, wholesale trendsetters or Post Office Horizon scandal victims, Pooja has an equal flair for deciphering industries as well as human complexities. At Asian Trader, she aims to bridge the gap between policy, trade, and the shop floor, always keeping a finger on the pulse of what matters most to retailers.