More than 14 million shoppers in the UK have witnessed violence or abuse against retail workers over the past year, according to a new survey by the British Retail Consortium (BRC). The poll also found that a quarter of all shoppers had seen an incident of shoplifting during the same period.
The findings highlight the widespread nature of retail crime, with 21% of the public reporting that they had witnessed incidents including racial or sexual abuse, physical assault, or threats with weapons while shopping. Separate BRC data reveal that retail workers faced 1,600 incidents of violence and abuse every day last year, with delivery drivers also frequently subjected to abuse, physical violence, and threats with weapons.
Regional variations are stark, with London recording the highest proportion of people witnessing violence or abuse at 32%, followed by Yorkshire and Humberside at 26% and the North East at 23%. The East of England had the lowest figure at 13%. For shop theft, London and the West Midlands were highest at 29%, while the South West saw 24%.
Retailers have spent an estimated £5bn over the past five years combating retail crime, investing in CCTV, security personnel, anti-theft devices, and body-worn cameras. These costs add to existing financial pressures, limiting investment and contributing to higher prices for consumers.
The government hopes the new Crime and Policing Bill, which will soon become law, will protect retail workers. The legislation creates a standalone offence for assaulting shop workers and removes the £200 threshold for low-level theft, signalling that all shoplifting will be treated seriously. However, a campaign to extend protections to all customer-facing workers has been opposed by the Labour government, which defeated a related motion in the House of Lords by just three votes.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the BRC, said: “For too many people, violence and abuse are now part of the shopping experience. An incident might last seconds, but for workers and bystanders, the impact can last a lifetime. The Crime and Policing Bill is an important step towards protecting retail workers and tackling crime. But as drafted, it falls short. Retail workers in England and Wales deserve the same protections as those in Scotland, including delivery drivers. Everyone in a customer-facing role should be protected – no exceptions.”
