Highlights
- 77 per cent of retail workers experienced abuse in the last year, with 43 per cent facing weekly incidents.
- 62 per cent feel stressed and anxious going to work, while 43 per cent are looking to quit their jobs
- Retail Trust launches 'Let's Respect Retail' campaign calling for simple acts of kindness from shoppers
Shop workers across Britain are experiencing a mental health crisis driven by rising customer abuse, with nearly half considering leaving the industry altogether, according to new research from the charity Retail Trust.
A survey of 1,000 retail workers reveals that 77 per cent have faced intimidating behaviour in the past year, while 23 per cent were physically assaulted. Close to half reported being abused or attacked every week, representing a 10 per cent increase from last year when 33 per cent experienced weekly verbal or physical assaults.
The abuse is taking a severe toll on workers' wellbeing. Of those experiencing abuse, 62 per cent feel stressed and anxious going into work, and 43 per cent are looking to quit their job or leave retail entirely. Additionally, 45 per cent of all shop workers now feel unsafe at work.
Sunita, 42, a make-up artist and beauty counter representative from Derby, described the emotional impact to retail trust, "I take temp jobs now to move around because I got depressed working in a department store where I encountered the same rude customers again and again. I genuinely enjoy my job, but it can often feel like being an emotional punchbag."
Michael, 25, a former store manager from Dundee, told the retail trust "I've had nightmares, panic attacks, and flashbacks thanks to the abuse I've suffered. 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."
Call for respect
A separate YouGov poll found that 34 per cent of the public have witnessed someone being rude or abusive towards a shop worker in the past year. Nearly a quarter of shoppers admitted forgetting to make eye contact or smile, while 20 per cent forgot to say hello or thank you. Tesco has provided worn cameras to over 5,000 delivery drivers across 100 stores by year-end to help them feel safe at work.
Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of the Retail Trust, noted that "What was once occasional frustration has become routine abuse. They are being targeted by shoppers who treat retail workers as less than human."
The charity's Let's Respect Retail campaign urges shoppers to help restore humanity to the high street through simple gestures like saying hello, thank you, or offering a smile basic acts of recognition that can significantly impact workers facing daily hostility.
