To mark the start of Usdaw’s National Respect for Shopworkers Week, Central England Co-op has released new figures showcasing the abuse its staff face on a daily basis.
Support for this week-long campaign comes after the grocery business recorded 10 major incidents since July ranging from colleagues being slashed or threatened with knives to others being hospitalised after being attacked by shoplifters.
Overall, this year, verbal abuse has jumped by 175%, assaults by 34% and threats by 12% compared to 2019. It can also be revealed that a total of 279 crimes related directly to covid-19 have been recorded in stores.
Central England Co-op is asking shoppers to treat its colleagues with respect as part of ongoing efforts to keep people safe as the nights draw in and covid-19 restrictions continue.
Craig Goldie, loss prevention manager, said: “We are pleased to be able to support the Usdaw National Respect for Shopworkers Week.
“We hope people see the posters in store, respect our colleagues and also sign the petition to ensure new laws are put in place to better protect them.
“This has been something we have long campaigned for and this week-long campaign is a great way of continuing to talk about this really important issue.”
