The British Retail Consortium (BRC) and members have called on the government to take necessary steps to ensure retail staff have a safe Christmas as we gear towards the peak trading period.
The BRC said that as stores and delivery services work overtime in the festive season, staff are often subject to more violence and abuse during this period.
The plea comes as incidents of violence and abuse become particularly acute of late, with the most recent crime survey fom the BRC showing incidents soar to 1,300 every single day, ranging from threats to physical assaults and more.
The letter outlines how violence and abuse is not restricted to those working in stores but all customer-facing roles, including delivery drivers and customer service centres.
The BRC and retailers have called on the government to ensure the standalone offence for assaulting, threatening, or abusing a retail worker is introduced as quickly as possible and applies to all working in the industry, ensuring that staff have a safe Christmas.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive at the BRC, said: “As the clock runs down to Christmas, retail colleagues will be working extra hard to look after customers, helping them find what they need, keeping shelves stocked, and delivering gifts to people’s homes.
“While Christmas is an exceptionally busy time, any mistreatment of our colleagues will not be tolerated and we ask the public to stand with us in the fight against retail crime. Confrontations, be it verbal abuse or physical assault, can take a huge toll on victims, their families and their colleagues. Christmas is a time for everyone to enjoy.
“What our colleagues face on a daily basis is completely unacceptable. It is vital that the government sends a clear message and ensures the new standalone offence applies to all consumer-facing roles in retail. Together, we can deliver a safer Christmas for everyone, and end the scourge of violence against retail workers.”
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