Nearly half of Britain’s shop workers are abused or attacked every week, according to new research exposing the human toll of the UK’s worsening retail crime crisis.
The Retail Trust, which supports wellbeing across the retail sector, found that 43 per cent of shop floor employees had faced verbal or physical abuse on a weekly basis, while one in four reported being physically assaulted in the past year. More than three-quarters said they had experienced intimidating or aggressive behaviour from customers.
The number of staff reporting weekly abuse has climbed sharply over the past year. Just twelve months ago, about a third said they faced regular hostility — underscoring what the Trust describes as a “deepening epidemic” of aggression in high street stores.
“What was once occasional frustration has become routine abuse,” said Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of the Retail Trust. “We’re being contacted by people who are ignored, disrespected and shouted at every single day.”
The report paints a stark picture of deteriorating morale and mental health among retail employees. Of those who had experienced abuse, more than 40 per cent said they were considering quitting their jobs or leaving the sector altogether. Nearly two-thirds reported feeling anxious or fearful about going to work.
Brook-Carter said shop workers are increasingly treated as “less than human”, despite efforts by major retailers and government to curb violence and theft. “The proposed law changes are welcome, but they won’t stop the rudeness, hostility and contempt that retail staff tell us they face every shift,” he said.
The Retail Trust cited additional research by YouGov showing that almost a quarter of UK adults admitted they had forgotten to make eye contact or smile at shop workers, and one in five confessed they had failed to say hello or thank you.
In a growing number of cases, abuse has extended online: 30 per cent of shop workers said they or a colleague had been filmed without consent for social media “prank” videos, a trend fuelled by TikTok and other platforms.
Retailers have poured billions of pounds into surveillance technology, including facial recognition systems, body cameras and security gates, in an effort to curb theft and protect staff.
Tesco recently announced it had equipped 5,000 delivery drivers with body cameras after a surge in verbal abuse, having already issued “spit kits” that allow staff to collect DNA from offenders.
Despite these measures, violence and intimidation continue to rise. The government has pledged to make assaults on shop workers a standalone criminal offence and to reverse legislation that previously treated theft of goods worth under £200 as a low-level misdemeanour.
Ministers have promised to end what they called the “shameful neglect” of retail crime, but unions say the measures are too little, too late.
Nadine Houghton, national officer at the GMB union, said the findings expose the urgent need for tighter enforcement and better staffing in stores.
“Our members have been stabbed, punched and threatened with syringes while trying to do their job,” she said. “It’s completely horrifying — no one should have to suffer this kind of abuse and violence at work.”
She called on retailers to ensure “adequate staff and security to prevent incidents and rock-solid procedures to support employees when they occur.”
The rise in hostility towards retail staff mirrors broader challenges facing the UK’s high streets, which have been battered by inflation, theft and changing consumer habits. Retail experts say the industry’s recovery depends not only on economic policy but on restoring respect for those on the front line.
As Brook-Carter warned, “Our shop workers are the beating heart of our communities — but too many are being made to feel unsafe and undervalued in the places they help keep alive.”
