Shopworkers plea for festive cheer as customer abuse rises

Retail trade union Usdaw is asking customers to ‘keep your cool’ as the busy pre- Christmas shopping gets underway, which will culminate in what the retail industry has already dubbed ‘Super Saturday’, with 23 December being the last full shopping day before Christmas.

Shocking statistics from Usdaw’s annual survey of shopworkers shows there are still far too many incidents of violence, threats and abuse against shopworkers. Interim results from over 3,000 retail staff responses show that in the last twelve months:

· 65% have experienced verbal abuse.

· 42% were threatened by a customer.

· 5% were assaulted.

· 71% of verbal abuse was caused by customer frustration.

North West voices from the frontline: These are some of the comments North West shopworkers shared when responding to Usdaw’s survey:

Cumbria: “Being blamed for petrol station issues. Threatened to do me in and watch my back.” - “Mainly verbal abuse from challenge 25 who do not have ID.” - “Customers not having receipts then just having a go at you.” –

Cheshire: “Stock has been thrown at me.” – “Verbal and mental abuse.” - “Called stupid little Hitler and a thick bastard.” - “Threatened with a screwdriver during a till snatch.” - “Verbal abuse including sexual verbal harassment from male customer.”

Lancashire: “Pushed over by a shoplifter.” – “I got called a c*t because customer didn't have loyalty card.” - “Came in store he was in a mood already shouting abuse. Saw me and started as I am Asian.” - “Called btch, threats of waiting after work.”

Manchester: “Customers have threatened to jump over the counter and assault me” - “Shoplifter punched the window next to me and said it would be my face next time.” – “I've been called a f**king whore and a dog.” – “Basket thrown at us.”

Merseyside: “Threatened by customer for theft.” - “Broken nose, table thrown at me, daily verbal abuse.” - “Spat on when approaching customer for shop lifting.” - “Been punched, spat at, kicked, items and objects thrown at me, chased with a knife.”

Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “It is heart-breaking to hear these testimonies from North West shopworkers who deserve far more respect than they receive. Our latest survey results clearly show the scale of the appalling violence, threats and abuse faced by retail staff.

“It is shocking that two-thirds of our members working in retail stores are suffering abuse from customers, with far too many experiencing threats and violence. Seven in ten of these incidents were triggered by customers being frustrated with stock shortages, lack of staff or problems with self-service checkouts.

“All of these problems are largely outside the control of retail staff, but they are the people who bear the brunt of shoppers’ anger. Our members tell us that incidents of verbal abuse are much worse in the run up to Christmas, when shops are busy, customers are stressed and things can boil over. That is why we are asking customers to ‘keep your cool’ and respect shopworkers, to make the Christmas shopping experience better for everyone.”

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