Retail Trust launches campaign urging respect for shop workers

The Retail Trust has launched a national campaign calling on shoppers to show greater respect to retail staff in the run-up to Christmas, following new research indicating rising levels of abuse towards shop workers.

As part of its Let’s Respect Retail campaign, Smiles of respect will light up big screens all over the UK from Black Friday.  

Images of retail workers, members of the public and industry figures on large screens across high streets, shopping centres and major sites including Piccadilly Lights, Heathrow Airport and Flannels’ Oxford Street store. 

Screens carrying the campaign will also appear at 24 UK shopping centres, including Bluewater, Metrocentre, Westfield London and Westfield Stratford, in partnership with JCDecaux’s Community Channel.

Retailers backing the initiative include Primark, BP, Holland and Barrett, H&M, Landsec and Elevate, the media network for Frasers Group.

Research published by the charity earlier this month found that 77% of shop workers had experienced intimidating behaviour in the past year, while 23% reported being physically assaulted. 

Additionally, 43% said they faced abuse or attacks weekly, up from 33% in 2024.

The Retail Trust said the initiative aims to encourage simple gestures of courtesy, such as greetings or thanks, to help improve interactions between staff and customers. 

Public figures supporting the campaign include Lord Stuart Rose, Charlie Mayfield and Howard Dawber.

Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of the Retail Trust, said: “Thoughtless, unkind and aggressive behaviour has become ‘part of the job’ for too many shop workers today. It’s on all of us to help bring humanity back to the high street this Christmas, starting with acts as simple as a thank you, a greeting, and a smile.

“The smiles being shared across the country represent the Retail Trust’s call for dignity and decency. We know that the smallest acts of respect still make a huge difference to people who are facing daily hostility at work.”

Theo Paphitis, chair of Theo Paphitis Retail Group, added: “Our store colleagues are out there helping our customers day in, day out and respect is the very least we should ask for as we serve our communities.”

Kari Rodgers, UK retail director at Primark, concluded: “As we move into the festive period and stores get busier, our store colleagues are there to help but any abuse directed towards anyone working in retail is simply not acceptable.”