The Welsh Retail Consortium and trade union Usdaw are combining to urge the public to be kind and considerate to all retail workers and fellow customers when doing their shopping this Christmas.
The plea comes as abuse and violence towards those in customer service continues to climb, with a recent Usdaw survey showing that in the last 12 months, 69% of retail staff experienced verbal abuse, and 45% have been threatened by a customer.
Retail is one of Wales’ largest private sector employers with 130,000 directly working in the industry. The festive period is a crucial trading period for many shops, with every purchase helping to support jobs in local retail and throughout the supply chain.
The organisations said it is essential that all Welsh shoppers play their part in creating a friendly and enjoyable environment for other customers and workers this Christmas, adding that they are asking for patience, kindness and consideration during this busy time.
WRC and Usdaw will also be launching a new social media campaign to encourage shoppers to be considerate this Christmas. The joint initiative comes during Usdaw’s Respect for Shopworkers Week.
Sara Jones, Head of the Welsh Retail Consortium:
“As the clock counts down to Christmas Day, retail stores and websites will become increasingly busy. People in retail are doing a brilliant job working hard to look after customers, helping them find what they need, keeping shelves stocked and delivering goods. While this time of year can be a little stressful, any mistreatment of store colleagues and delivery drivers will not be tolerated. Confrontations, be it verbal abuse or physical assault, can take a huge toll on victims, their families and their colleagues. When everyone shows a little Christmas kindness and courtesy – everyone will be better off. That way we can all enjoy shopping over the festive period and support local jobs and the vibrancy of our high streets and retail destinations.”
Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary:
“Retail staff working in stores and delivering to customers deserve far more respect than they receive. It is shocking that over two-thirds are suffering abuse from customers, with far too many experiencing threats and violence. Seven in ten of these incidents were triggered by theft from shops, which is clearly the result of a significant increase in police recorded shoplifting.
“This week Usdaw activists are campaigning in their workplaces and communities calling on the shopping public to ‘respect shop workers’ and ‘keep your cool’, particularly in the run-up to Christmas when the number of incidents increases as shops get busy and customers become frustrated. This is a hugely important issue for our members, and they are saying loud and clear that enough is enough.”
