The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) is encouraging retailers to take part in ShopKind Week, which begins on 9 November this year. The campaign aims to raise awareness about violence towards shopworkers, highlight their essential role, and remind customers to “shop kind” when visiting stores.
Violence and abuse figures
Figures from the 2026 ACS Crime Report show there were over 67,000 estimated incidents of violence towards shopworkers and almost a million incidents of verbal abuse.
How retailers can get involved
The ACS is urging retailers to spread the ShopKind message by sharing #ShopKind assets on social media, putting ShopKind posters up in their stores, getting staff to wear ShopKind badges, and nominating someone from their business to be a ShopKind Champion. Free materials are available on the National Business Crime Centre website.
ACS chief executive Ed Woodall said: “Shopworkers and convenience retailers have the right to feel safe when they are serving their communities and should never be subject to abuse.
“This campaign acts as a reminder to all customers that it is important to treat everyone with kindness and respect.”
Wider campaign and champions
For the first time, ShopKind Week will form part of a wider co-ordinated campaign to promote staff safety messages. The week of action will also include the National Business Crime Centre’s Safer Business Action Week, the Retail Trust’s Let’s Respect Retail Week, and shopworkers union Usdaw’s Respect for Shopworkers Week.
ShopKind champions will be responsible for sharing the campaign’s message through all communications and will receive a digital ShopKind Champions Pack. Anyone interested in becoming a ShopKind champion or looking for more information about ShopKind Week should email daniel.askew@acs.org.uk.
