Tackling violence and abuse against retail workers
Conflict is not part of the job.
For thousands of people working in retail, confrontation, aggression and abuse have become an increasingly familiar part of the working day.
Although there are signs of progress, the latest BRC Crime Report shows that violence and abuse against retail workers remains at around 1,600 incidents a day, still far above pre-pandemic levels.
Behind those numbers are people.
At Safer Business Network, we see this every day through our work with thousands of businesses across London and beyond. Someone finishing a shift after being threatened. A manager supporting a colleague following an assault. A team becoming increasingly anxious about challenging theft or enforcing an age restriction. Each of these experiences has an impact, on the individual, the wider team and the business.
Research from the Retail Trust reinforces this picture, with 77% of shop workers surveyed saying they had experienced intimidating behaviour, 23% reporting that they had been physically assaulted and 43% saying abuse had made them want to leave their jobs.
That creates a cost far beyond crime losses. It can mean absence, reduced confidence, management time, lower productivity, recruitment costs and the loss of experienced staff.
As we move towards Christmas, increased footfall, busy stores and pressure on frontline teams can create more opportunities for conflict. At the same time, from 30 October 2026, employers will have stronger responsibilities around preventing harassment, including harassment from third parties such as customers.
So, what can businesses consider?
Understand the risk. Frontline colleagues often have the clearest view of where and when conflict is most likely to arise.
Giving colleagues confidence to disengage. Clear guidance can help staff know when to step back, seek support or escalate an incident.
Training for real situations. Conflict management and de-escalation training can help colleagues recognise escalation, communicate safely and respond with confidence.
Making reporting easy and meaningful. Individual incidents can reveal patterns, repeat offenders and emerging risks when information is brought together.
Thinking about what happens afterwards. The impact of an incident does not always end when the customer leaves the store, and appropriate follow-up can make a real difference.
And importantly, partnership helps build a fuller picture. By sharing information, businesses and partners can better understand repeat offending, emerging risks and where support or intervention may help.
Through our work at Safer Business Network, where we support businesses through BCRPs, training and intelligence-led activity, we really see the value of businesses sharing information. Safer environments are created when good intelligence, strong partnerships, clear procedures, confident staff and meaningful welfare support work together.
That same principle applies to supporting staff. Training, clear procedures, effective reporting routes and appropriate follow-up after incidents all help colleagues feel more confident and better equipped. There is already strong guidance and practical support available from the BRC, Retail Trust, Suzy Lamplugh Trust and Safer Business Network across conflict management, personal safety, staff wellbeing, de-escalation and workplace procedures. Businesses do not need to start from scratch; there is real value in drawing on existing good practice and adapting it to the risks their teams are actually facing.
The question is not simply:
“How do we respond when violence happens?”
It is:
“What are we doing to prevent it, protect our people and support them when it does happen?”
That will be at the heart of our forthcoming BRC Community Call on conflict and violence in retail, where we will focus on practical steps, shared learning and what businesses can do now to better support and protect frontline colleagues.
