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As the festive period begins, the Scottish Retail Consortium and UKHospitality Scotland have come together to urge the public to be kind and considerate to workers and fellow customers when doing their shopping, dining out or going for a festive tipple this Christmas.

The plea comes as violence and abuse against those in customer service continues to climb, with a recent Usdaw survey showing that in the last 12 months, 65% of retail staff experienced verbal abuse, and 42% have been threatened by a customer.

Christmas is always an incredibly complex and challenging time of year for the retail and hospitality industry. Everyone is working extra hard to keep shelves stocked, products delivered, and meals and drinks served, and stores, delivery services, restaurants, pubs and bars will naturally be a little busier.

Nonetheless, it is essential that we all play our part in creating a friendly and enjoyable environment for other customers and workers this Christmas, and we ask for patience, kindness and consideration during this busy time.

David Lonsdale, Director, Scottish 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 tensions can run high, any mistreatment of our colleagues 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 retail destinations.”

Leon Thompson, Executive Director, UKHospitality Scotland:
“Christmas is a time for friends and family to come together, so naturally venues will be busier as we all look to go for a drink or have a meal out. Teams across hospitality work incredibly hard over the busy festive period to make sure everyone can enjoy the brilliant experiences that Scotland is known for. They deserve to be treated with respect and kindness. UKHospitality urges customers to do just that. That way everyone can enjoy socialising in a relaxed way, getting the very best from being in bars, pubs and restaurants as we celebrate Christmas.”