Charity to run free training for retail workers as 'nearly half fear for their safety'

Shop staff have warned they feel unsafe and are looking to quit the retail industry, as new research reveals one in three face weekly abuse from shoppers.

According to survey report by charity Retail Trust, 47 per cent fear of the retail staff for their safety and 39 per cent want to leave their jobs or the industry altogether due to the rise in violent and abusive incidents.

Nearly half (48 per cent) said they don’t get enough support from their employer to deal with the current levels of violence, threats and abuse. Among those who felt unsupported, the number of people considering quitting rose to 56 per cent while three quarters (73 per cent) said they feel unsafe as a result.

Affected workers have now been urged to take part in free skills training being offered by the Retail Trust in November. It aims to help shop staff across the country manage another expected rise in abusive behaviour during the busy festive shopping period.

The Retail Trust also found that most shop workers (80 per cent) and store managers (90 per cent) have faced abusive incidents at work, with 98 per cent verbally abused, a third (33 per cent) threatened with violence, 14 per cent physically assaulted and 10 per cent spat on. One in three experience this weekly.

64 per cent of those surveyed said this was triggered by them confronting a shoplifter. A further 57 per cent said they’d witnessed a product being stolen or damaged. More than half (55 per cent) said things had got worse in the last two years and nearly two thirds (63 per cent) said they now feel stressed and anxious going into work.

Further research for the Retail Trust’s respect retail campaign found that 29 per cent have received training from their employer over the last year to deal with abuse at work. 17 per cent of those who felt they’d been given the right support from their employer said they were considering quitting their job, significantly lower than the workforce as a whole or those without supportive employers.

But a quarter (24 per cent) admitted they don’t report incidents to their bosses, partly because they don’t think anyone will help, they don’t know how to, or because they have been put off by a previously unhelpful response from the police.

The Retail Trust is running free training sessions online and in London from 12 to 14 November, to arm hundreds of shop staff with new skills to manage challenging in-store situations this Christmas and deal with any difficult experiences. Retail workers can apply to take part by visiting retailtrust.org.uk/respect.

The Retail Trust’s respect retail campaign, backed by major retail companies including H&M, bp, Frasers Group and Holland & Barrett will also support businesses to bring in new measures to help staff and adopt a zero-tolerance approach to abuse.

H&M will donate the proceeds of its carrier bag levy during November to help the Retail Trust roll out its free training. Others supporting the campaign include the BRC and Usdaw.

The Retail Trust also runs a wellbeing helpline and offers counselling to shop staff in need, and works with more than 200 retailers to improve the mental health of their staff.

‘People are afraid to speak up’

“I have worked in retail all my life, since I left school, and have always loved the social aspect, but the last few weeks have been horrendous to the point where I have considered resigning,” admitted a sales assistant from Northern Ireland who spoke out on the condition of anonymity. “Two duty managers have resigned in the last two weeks because it was draining the life out of them. We can’t physically do any more, so morale is low.

“I thought things would calm down after the pandemic, but people have got into that habit of behaving this way so it’s now the norm. I have been in management conference calls, and nobody speaks up because they’re afraid of losing their job. An anonymous service that allows colleagues to feel comfortable about speaking up would help.”

‘The comments are so rude I’m left open-mouthed in shock’

A 27-year-old shop worker from Southampton said: “I used to work in a charity shop and didn’t have any issues but moving into mainstream retail three years ago was a revelation. I’m fairly capable of standing up for myself but sometimes the comments are so rude and inappropriate I’m left open-mouthed in shock.

“Luckily, my husband also works in retail, so he understands. He’s dealt with all sorts of violent incidents, like somebody high on drugs who went for a member of staff with a needle and my husband had to rugby tackle him to the ground.”

‘A shopper threw their dirty toilet seat at me’

"The first time I experienced customer abuse it totally threw me,” added a 32-year-old hardware store manager from London.

“We have a policy that we can’t refund or exchange toilet seats due to hygiene and a customer was upset. In her hand was her old, unclean toilet seat and when I explained the reasons why we can’t exchange, she threw it at me. Security told her to leave but it left me shocked. Last month I was told ‘the customer is always right’ but that’s not the case.”

‘Things have improved’

Others told the Retail Trust they had been lunged at, had somebody show them explicit photos on their phone, and had products thrown at them, but Matt, a 40-year-old manager of a clothing store from the West Midlands, said: “Two years ago, we noticed an increase in aggression and violence. We had two or three incidents where managers were assaulted. But things have improved in the last six months. We put that down to our feedback to head office and the new measures and processes we have put in place.

“We have de-escalation training for managers on how to deal with threatening customers and advice on tone of voice and body language for junior managers, to help colleagues feel mentally prepared. We hold regular wellbeing meetings with the team and if they’re off due to an incident, we look at what we can put in place to support their return, such as increasing guard coverage and enlisting an external security company. The debrief is vital so if something happens today, we talk about it as a team the next morning – what happened, what could we do differently?”

‘Thousands are considering leaving a job they love because they no longer feel safe’

“The incidents we hear about every day are both horrifying and heartbreaking,” said Chris Brook-Carter, the Retail Trust's chief executive. “People tell us they have been spat on, had products smashed up in front of them and been filmed on their phones by abusive shoppers who then threaten to post the footage on social media.

“Thousands are contacting us to say they’re now being forced to consider leaving a job they love and often have worked in for many years because they no longer feel safe there.

“This unacceptable behaviour will only get worse unless more people are empowered to speak up, better supported to deal with their experiences and most of all, get the protection they need. I believe that retail can still be an amazing place to build a career but we know that even just one terrible encounter can overshadow a hundred kind interactions.”

“As a charity, we’re working with more than 200 retailers and many are now taking this extremely seriously by introducing new support, security and dealing more closely with the police to report this criminal behaviour.

“We want to work with even more businesses going forward to stand together against this abuse. And I’d urge anyone who needs more help dealing with their experiences to call the Retail Trust’s wellbeing helpline or apply to take part in our free training during November.”

Helen Dickinson, chief executive at the British Retail Consortium, added: “Despite the huge investment by retailers to protect their colleagues and customers, violence and abuse against staff has continued to rise, reaching over 1,300 incidents a day.

“The latest findings by the Retail Trust are yet another reminder that we must redouble our efforts to tackle retail violence and that this is essential for healthier and happier workplaces. Ultimately, retail is an industry that relies on the amazing efforts of three million people, and we must do what we can to support them.”

Tracey Clements, vice president for mobility and convenience, Europe at bp, said: “bp has been working with the Retail Trust since 2022 and over the last few years we’ve been following the rise in crime and abuse incidents across the sector closely.

“Safety always comes first for us - and that includes psychological safety, alongside physical security. The tools and wellbeing support the Retail Trust has on offer have been invaluable for our store colleagues over this period.”

Henrik Nordvall, CEO, H&M UK & Ireland, said: “Every person has the right to feel safe in their workplace, and it is incredibly disheartening to hear the figures released today by the Retail Trust, that paint a picture of what retail workers across the country face on a daily basis.

“The retail industry employs 20% of the UK working population and offers incredible career opportunities for all, however the harsh reality of worker abuse must be addressed to ensure that our colleagues across the sector can reap the benefits and thrive in such an important industry.”