Retail is Britain’s largest private-sector employer with 3 million workers employed in the industry. Now more than ever we can appreciate the important role that our shops play in our communities. From the local corner shop to the out of town superstore, shop workers provide a vital role in ensuring that people have the supplies and goods that they need. Yet despite their importance, violence, verbal abuse and aggressive behaviour towards shop workers have become a major problem.
Home Office figures reveal 590,000 incidents of assaults and threats in 2018 (up from around 200,000 incidents in 2016) putting them at their highest level since 2012. The British Retail Consortium’s (BRC) Retail Crime Survey 2020 reports a shocking 424 violent or abusive incidents every single day.
Behind these statistics are people who have directly experienced violence while simply doing their jobs. The Co-op has supported research to highlight this important issue as part of their Safer Colleagues, Safer Communities campaign.
In the last 12 months, I know of colleagues who have been physically injured with axes, needles, machetes and knives in unprovoked attacks. I know of colleagues that have been dragged through their store, who have had knives held to their throats, or been made to kneel down with guns or other weapons held at their head. They have been screamed at, threatened, and left scared to travel home from work. The impact of these incidents last a lifetime, not just on those directly involved but it affects their colleagues, their families and their communities.
(Shop worker)
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