A new survey of 2,500 frontline workers across the U.K. and U.S., commissioned by body-worn camera maker HALOS, found that 39% say customer abuse is treated as “just part of the job” where they work.
In the U.K., the British Retail Consortium counted roughly 737,000 incidents of violence and abuse against retail staff in 2023-24, or about 1,300 a day. In the U.S., the Bureau of Labor Statistics logged 57,610 nonfatal workplace violence cases requiring days away from work, restriction or transfer in 2021-2022, and reported that 24.6% of workplace homicides occurred while a worker was tending a retail establishment or waiting on customers.
The HALOS survey digs into what this normalization does to staff who stick around despite the threats. Two-thirds of workers said they have considered quitting because of customer aggression, and more than four in five reported lower job satisfaction. Nearly a quarter said they had taken time off following an incident. Additionally, the survey found employees aged 18-24 reported higher exposure and stronger intention to leave than older colleagues.
The British Safety Council says violence and abuse against retail workers is at an all-time high, with an estimated 1,191 new cases reported each day and around 40% going unreported. The HALOS report found that while many workers believe their employers have reporting processes in place, only 14% receive any follow-up after flagging a serious incident. Workers in the same survey said they want clearer consequences for abusers, a visible management presence and faster backup by leadership.
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Regulatory enforcement
The U.K.’s Crime and Policing Bill creates a standalone offense of assaulting a retail worker, carrying a maximum penalty of six months’ imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine, with a presumption of a criminal behavior order on first conviction.
In the U.S., there is no comparable federal offense specifically protecting retail workers, so employers must rely on a patchwork of state law, general criminal law and internal policy to respond to frontline abuse.
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