Almost half of British shop workers are abused or assaulted every week. This is according to a new study which reveals the human toll of the deepening retail crime crisis in the UK.
The Retail Trust, which promotes wellbeing across the retail sector, found that 43 per cent of store staff were subjected to verbal or physical abuse every week, while one in four reported being physically attacked in the past year. More than three quarters said they had experienced intimidating or aggressive behavior from customers.
The number of employees reporting abuse on a weekly basis has risen sharply over the past year. Just 12 months ago, around a third said they faced hostility on a regular basis – underlining what the trust describes as a “worsening epidemic” of aggression in stores.
“What was once occasional frustration has become routine abuse,” said Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of the Retail Trust. “We are contacted every day by people who are ignored, disrespected and yelled at.”
The report paints a stark picture of deteriorating morale and mental health among retail workers. Of those who had experienced abuse, more than 40 percent said they were thinking about quitting their job or leaving the industry altogether. Almost two-thirds said they feel anxious or afraid when they go to work.
Brook-Carter said store workers were increasingly being treated as “inhumane” despite efforts by major retailers and the government to curb violence and theft. “The proposed changes to the law are welcome, but they will not stop the rudeness, hostility and contempt we see from retail workers every shift,” he said.
The Retail Trust cited additional research from YouGov which showed almost a quarter of adults in the UK admitted to forgetting to look store workers in the eyes or smile at them, and one in five admitted they had neglected to say “hello” or “thank you”.
In a growing number of cases, the abuse has spread online: 30 percent of store employees said they or a colleague had been filmed without consent for “prank” videos on social media, a trend fueled by TikTok and other platforms.
Retailers have poured billions of pounds into surveillance technology, including facial recognition systems, body cameras and security gates, to curb theft and protect staff.
Tesco recently said it had fitted 5,000 delivery drivers with body cameras after a rise in verbal abuse and had already issued “spit kits” that staff could use to collect DNA from offenders.
Despite these measures, violence and intimidation continue to increase. The government has pledged to make attacks on shop workers a standalone crime and repeal laws that previously treated the theft of goods worth less than £200 as a minor offense.
Ministers have promised to end what they described as a “shameful neglect” of retail crime, but unions say the measures are too little, too late.
GMB union national officer Nadine Houghton said the results showed the urgent need for tougher enforcement and better staffing levels in stores.
“Our members have been stabbed, beaten and threatened with injections while trying to do their jobs,” she said. “It’s completely appalling – no one should have to suffer this kind of abuse and violence in the workplace.”
She called on retailers to “ensure adequate staffing and security to prevent incidents and robust procedures to support employees when they occur”.
The increasing hostility towards retail staff reflects broader challenges facing Britain’s high streets, which have been plagued by inflation, theft and changing consumer habits. Retail experts say the industry’s recovery depends not only on economic policy but also on restoring respect for those on the front lines.
Brook-Carter warned: “Our store workers are the beating heart of our communities – but too many feel unsafe and undervalued in the places where they thrive.”
