Retail Trust survey finds 54% of shop workers face weekly abuse

Retail Trust research found that 54% of shop workers face abuse every week, compared with 33% in 2024 and 43% last year, according to TheIndustry.fashion. The charity surveyed 1,138 retail workers as it prepared a campaign calling for greater respect for staff ahead of Christmas.

The survey found that 79% had experienced an abusive or violent situation in the past 12 months, while 23% reported a physical attack. It also found that 38% said they or a colleague had been filmed without consent, up from 30% last year.

The Retail Trust’s Let’s Respect Retail campaign launches on 9 November with the Association of Convenience Stores, shopworkers’ union Usdaw and the National Business Crime Centre. Messages encouraging shoppers to greet staff will appear in stores, shopping centres, cinemas and transport hubs across the UK. The charity found that 83% of retail employees believed a positive customer interaction could help them recover from a negative experience.

Why it matters

The findings highlight staff wellbeing and retention concerns for retail employers, including fashion businesses. Worsening customer behaviour had made 48% of respondents consider leaving their job or the industry, up from 43% in 2025. Among workers affected by abuse, 70% said they felt stressed or anxious about going to work.