Where customers give verbal or even physical abuse to shop staff the top triggers are staff simply doing their job: so the latest annual survey of members by the union Usdaw suggests. The main cause cited at 25pc of cases is shop theft; that is, staff intervening when they suspect or see shoplifting. Next at 22pc comes staff querying age-restricted sales, for cigarettes and alcohol – although one in 20 cases are where young people attempt to buy high-caffeine drinks, and a retailer seeks to enforce a voluntary age ban.
And third at 21pc comes sale of alcohol (such as, refusing to sell to already drunk people). Less often occurring reasons are lack of stock, or customers taking offence over refunds (or lack of one), or some other service issue such as self-scan tills or lack of staff around to serve.
As Usdaw points out, their findings are in line with what others in the sector are reporting, such as the British Retail Consortium. As for what union members would like their employer to do, while some ask for more staff, or more security guards or more security such as CCTV, the main request is for support from their managers, such as training in how to handle abusive customers. The survey pointed to an ‘under-reporting problem’, as above all staff did not report incidents because they felt it would make no difference even if they did.
Paddy Lillis, Usdaw General Secretary says: “Life on the frontline of retail can be pretty tough for many shop workers and there is still a lot to do to help protect them. We launched our Freedom From Fear Campaign in the face of growing concerns amongst retail staff about violence, threats and abuse. The campaign works with employers to promote respect and make shops safer for staff and customers alike.
“When the trade union for shop workers and the retail employers association agree, through separate surveys, that the problem is getting much worse, it is time for the Government to sit up and listen. Our survey finds that enforcing the law on alcohol sales and other age restricted products accounts for almost half of incidents. A quarter of assaults and abuse are caused by theft from shops and we really have to question how much cuts in policing have contributed to a 30pc increase in shoplifting over the last ten years.
“Usdaw continues to call for stiffer penalties for those who assault shop workers; a simple stand-alone offence that is widely recognised and understood by the public, police, CPS, the judiciary and most importantly criminals. The Government has accepted there is an issue, following a roundtable meeting that I attended with retailers. We have now secured a ‘call for evidence’ and investigation into what can be done to provide better protections for shop workers.
“These two surveys are a key part of the evidence they’ve requested. Shop workers are on the frontline of helping to keep our communities safe, they have a crucial role that must be valued and respected.”
Over the last ten years, the survey results have been remarkably consistent, according to the 2018 report. Typically between 50 to 60 per cent of workers report at least one incident of verbal abuse in the last 12 months and 30 to 35pc report at least one incident of threat of physical violence.
