Shops see rise in abuse and assaults by customers as staff feel 'disrespected'

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Shops are seeing a big rise in abuse and attacks by customers as staff say they feel "disrespected" and "made to feel like nothing" every day. One in four shop workers says they have suffered physical assault while working.

Nearly half of shop staff (44 per cent) reported experiencing abuse or attacks weekly, marking a 10 per cent rise compared to the previous year, new research from the Retail Trust reveals. A separate YouGov survey commissioned by the trust found that one-third of Britons have witnessed someone being rude or abusive towards a shop worker within the past year.

"What was once occasional frustration has become routine abuse," Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of the Retail Trust, said. "We're being contacted by people who are ignored, disrespected and shoute