Usdaw’s latest annual survey of over 5,500 retail staff across the UK showed that 18% of shopworkers suffered a violent attack last year, compared to 8% in 2022. 6 in 10 respondents said that incidents of violence, threats and abuse they’d experienced were triggered by shoplifting and armed robbery. The increase in assaults comes during an epidemic of retail crime, with official statistics and reports from retailers showing significantly higher levels of theft from shops.
Paddy Lillis, Usdaw General Secretary says: “Shoplifting is not a victimless crime; theft from shops has long been a major flashpoint for violence and abuse against shopworkers. Having to deal with repeated and persistent shoplifters can cause issues beyond the theft itself like anxiety, fear and in some cases physical harm to retail workers. PSNI recording a 20% increase in shoplifting is further evidence that we are facing an epidemic of retail crime, which is hugely concerning.
“Our members have reported that they are often faced with hardened career criminals in stores and we know that retail workers are much more likely to be abused by those who are stealing to sell goods on. Our latest survey results show that 7 in 10 retail workers suffered abuse from customers, with far too many experiencing threats and violence. 60% of respondents said theft from shops and armed robbery were triggers for these incidents.
“The scale of assaults, abuse and threats towards shopworkers and extent of the retail crime epidemic has been a disgrace for many years. We have written to the First Minister seeking the introduction of a standalone offence for assaulting a retail worker and we’re looking to meet with the justice minister. Shopworkers, key workers in every community, need the protection of the law to receive the respect that they have long deserved and regrettably too often do not receive.”
Northern Irish voices from the frontline: These are some of the comments Northern Irish shopworkers shared when responding to Usdaw’s survey:
“Spat at, potatoes thrown at me during evening shift. Drunk man called me a c**t when I refused his alcohol sale and tried to ram the trolley into me.”
“Had a basket of shopping thrown at me on the customer service desk.”
“Sexual assault, grab by customer tried to kiss and getting in personal space.”
“We get verbally abused nearly every day, especially asking customers for ID.”
“Told to f*** off numerous times. Mostly doing Think 25.”
“Name calling and threats over things that were not within my control.”
“Working security been approached by two males saying I was looking at them. They said they would take me outside and kill me.”
“They screamed at me, called me a bitch and told me to f*** off.”
Notes for editors:
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is one of the fastest growing unions in the TUC and the UK's fifth biggest trade union with around 360,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemical industry and other trades www.usdaw.org.uk
Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) - Recorded Crime Statistics
Usdaw’s Freedom from Fear Campaign seeks to prevent violence, threats and abuse against workers by engaging the public, shopworkers and the Government.
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion