Most shop workers face weekly abuse

Over half of shop workers in the UK are now facing abuse or attacks on a weekly basis, according to new research released by the Retail Trust. The charity’s survey of 1,138 shop workers found that 54% of respondents had experienced abuse or violence at work every week, up from 43% last year and 33% in 2024.

The research also found that 79% of shop workers had faced an abusive or violent situation in the past year, compared to 77% in 2025. Almost one in four (23%) of respondents said they had experienced abuse involving a physical attack, such as being kicked or hit.

The Retail Trust’s survey revealed a sharp rise in the number of shop staff who said they or a colleague had been filmed without consent by mobile phones or smart glasses, rising from 30% to 38% in a year. Respondents also reported high levels of stress and anxiety, with 70% of those affected by abuse feeling stressed or anxious about going to work.

Almost half (48%) of respondents said the worsening abuse had made them want to quit their job or leave the retail industry altogether, up from 43% who said this in 2025. More than two-thirds (68%) of shop workers believed dealing with abusive customers had become ‘part of their job’, while 80% felt they were now expected to put up with rudeness and disrespect.

Read Also: Thieves steal ATMs with construction vehicles

Retailers Share Abuse Experiences

Retailer Benedict, who owns two shops in south London, said he had seen an increase in abuse in his stores. “When we opened our town centre store 10 years ago, there were about two to three instances of abuse per week. Now it’s two to three every day,” he said. Benedict added that he had to have stitches on the back of his head after being attacked by a shoplifter.

Jo, a team leader at a convenience store in Northumberland, said customers seemed to treat shop workers like “ghosts”. “People are undoubtedly not as forgiving as they used to be. They aren’t as patient. They’re certainly not as respectful,” she said. Jo added that she had been hit three times during a shift a few months ago and had thought about quitting her job due to the abuse.

The Retail Trust is launching a major UK-wide drive urging shoppers to show greater kindness and respect to shop workers ahead of the Christmas shopping surge. The charity is working with the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS), shopworkers’ union Usdaw, and the National Business Crime Centre to run activity across the UK.

Campaign Urges Customer Kindness

Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of the Retail Trust, said: “Our country’s shop workers have had enough of being shouted at, threatened and treated with contempt. A simple ‘hello’ can work wonders.” Brook-Carter added that behaviour that would once have been considered completely unacceptable was increasingly being seen as part of the job.

The Let’s Respect Retail campaign will see signs put up in hundreds of stores, encouraging customers to begin every interaction with a shop worker with a positive greeting. Employees at some of the country’s biggest retailers and shopping centres are also being given more support to help them respond to and deal with abusive incidents.

Read Also: Co-op merger gets approval from regulators

For shop workers like Charlie, who works for a discount retailer in Shropshire, the abuse can be particularly damaging when it’s filmed and shared online. Charlie said a video of her dealing with an angry customer had been shared on a local community Facebook page.

Police Support Retail Workers

Assistant Chief Constable Alex Goss, retail lead for Merseyside Police, said: “As the first force in the UK to work with the Retail Trust, we believe it’s really important to invest in supporting retail workers to equip them with the skills and knowledge to deal with difficult situations as we continue to tackle retail crime and attacks on retail workers.” Goss added that retail crime was not victimless, and offenders would face the full force of the law.

The Retail Trust is working with retailers like Next and shopping centers like Bluewater and Liverpool ONE to provide support to employees. This support will help them respond to abusive incidents.

Jane, a garden centre worker from Hertfordshire, said that just one positive interaction can lift her spirits. She explained that when a customer says hello and takes the time to be nice, it makes her feel valued and puts her in a better frame of mind.