Surge in attacks on shop staff with 230 assaulted every day

SHOPWORKERS are facing a rising tide of violence with 230 assaulted every day in Britain, a survey has revealed

Trouble often starts over sales of age-restricted goods such as alcohol, tobacco, knives, energy drinks and corrosive substances, as well as tackling shoplifters.

Union Usdaw said the statistics were “shocking” and that life on the frontline of retail has been made more dangerous by falls in the number of police since 2010.

Violence ranged from pushing and shoving to punches and stabbings and were revealed in a snapshot of Usdaw’s Freedom From Fear survey of 3,561 members, with the full results published in the New Year.

Assaults are up 41 per cent from 164 two years ago and six out of 10 shopworkers have suffered verbal abuse.

Two out of five have been threatened by a customer.

The findings come as the 430,000-member union launches its annual Respect For Shopworkers week today, talking to the public in high streets, shopping centres and stores.

They will explain the problems of violence, threats and abuse and ask customers to “keep their cool” in the run-up to Christmas. Usdaw general secretary Paddy Lillis said: “Cuts in police funding and the loss of more than 20,000 police officers does not help.

“Life on the frontline of retail can be pretty tough for many shopworkers and there is still a lot to do to help to protect them.”

Last week the Suzy Lamplugh Trust – a charity set up after estate agent Suzy was killed in London in 1986 – found that two-thirds of UK retail workers have been exposed to violence or aggression in the workplace.

The British Retail Consortium has also reported a doubling of violence against staff.