We need your help to raise public awareness that this is unacceptable behaviour, and give workers the confidence to speak out, report abuse and not accept it as part of the job.
Shopworkers survey results
The results from our 2025 'Violence and Abuse Against Retail Shopworkers' survey were released on 18 March 2026.
They showed a still shocking level of abuse towards shopworkers, with violence more than double pre-pandemic levels.
Nearly 80% of shopworkers have been verbally abused in the past year and over half have been threatened whilst on shift.
Frustration due to staff shortages, shoplifting and enforcing the laws on the sale of age-restricted goods were cited as the main causes that triggered these incidents.
Nearly half of all Black workers have reported racial harassment, with the figures rising for young Black men and women. Over a third of women under 27 reported sexual harassment whilst at work.
This year a separate survey into the experiences of retail home delivery drivers showed similar levels of abuse as those in story over the past 12 months.
That included over a quarter reporting that they had refused at least one delivery due to fear of their own personal safety.
Get involved
At this time of year, the easiest way to get involved in our Freedom From Fear campaign is filling in our survey on violence against workers. We have different surveys for retail shopworkers, delivery drivers and call centre staff.
Take one of the Freedom from Fear Surveys here – It’s important to get as many workers as possible to fill out our survey so we can shine a light on their experiences. This will allow us to show how workers can be supported and abuse stopped.
Update your noticeboard – Theme your workplace noticeboard with Freedom From Fear materials.
We run 'Respect for Shopworkers Week' every year in November. It focuses on the abuse, violence and threats that workers receive and calls on customers to keep their call.
To run a campaign, find out more in our reps' briefing and order your materials.
Social – Share our message on X, Facebook, Bluesky and Instagram
Join – Ask any non-members who engage with the campaign to Join Usdaw.
Share your story - If you've experienced abuse or violence in your workplace, help us raise awareness by sharing your story. Contact the magazine team at [email protected]
Respect Week, 09-15 November 2026
Every year, Respect Week forms an integral part of our campaign.
Whether it’s a stall in your workplace or canteen, or having a few simple conversations with colleagues, we encourage you to engage with staff and customers during the week.
Additional resources
- Late-Night Working - Preventing Violence to Staff leaflet
- Preventing under-aged sales leaflet
- While you're looking after the shop, who's looking after you? leaflet
- Retail Workers - Abuse is not part of the job leaflet
- Delivery Drivers - Abuse is not Part of the Job leaflet
- Abuse Is Not Part Of The Job For Call Centre Workers leaflet
- Freedom From Fear - Delivering for Usdaw Members leaflet
- Tips for a safer workplace
- What Reps say about Respect Week
What we've achieved so far
Our campaign has made huge strides in recent years. In August 2021, as a result of our campaigning, a new ground-breaking law to protect shopworkers from violence, threats and abuse was introduced in Scotland. Legal protections have also been delivered for retail workers in England and Wales.
In April 2024, the Government announced that there would be a new law making assaulting a retail worker a standalone criminal offence.
Retail workers continue to be impacted by abuse, threats and violence and therefore the campaign must continue. The Union is engaging with employers, politicians, the police and the justice system to ensure shopworkers have the protection they deserve.
Read our response to the 2019 Home Office call for evidence.
What needs to happen next
We support Labour’s community policing guarantee, which would include new powers to ban repeat offenders from town centres.
We support Labour's Crime and Policing Bill. It would remove the £200 threshold on dealing with shoplifting as a summary offence to drive up more prosecutions and demonstrate that shoplifting is being taken seriously.
It also introduces a new, standalone, offence of assaulting a retail worker, giving workers in shops up and down the country the protection they need.
The bill is currently in the committee stage in the House of Lords.
