Violence and abuse against shop workers declined by a fifth last year, but retail leaders say crime levels remain far higher than before the pandemic and continue to pose a serious threat to staff safety.
New figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Sensormatic Solutions show there were 1,600 incidents of violence and abuse against retail workers every day in 2024/25, down from 2,000 daily incidents the previous year. That equates to around 590,000 incidents over the year.
Despite the improvement, the BRC warned that the rate remains the second highest on record and well above the pre-pandemic average of 455 incidents per day.
Physical violence showed little change, remaining at 118 incidents a day, including 36 daily cases involving a weapon.
The data also reveal 5.5 million incidents of shop theft last year, costing retailers close to £400m. The true total is likely to be significantly higher, given many thefts go undetected.
For the first time, the report included parcel delivery theft, which cost retailers more than £100m in 2024/25.
Industry leaders say organised criminal gangs are increasingly targeting high-value goods that can be easily resold, carrying out systematic thefts across multiple stores.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the BRC, said the reduction in violence was “hard won” but warned that theft and abuse remain endemic. “No one should go to work fearing for their safety,” she said.
The government’s forthcoming Crime and Policing Bill will introduce a specific offence for assaulting a retail worker, alongside scrapping the £200 threshold that previously limited police response to low-value shoplifting.
Sarah Jones said the government was determined to tackle retail crime and highlighted a 21 per cent rise in shop theft charges.
The legislation comes amid broader concerns about high street viability. Retailers are also contending with rising employment costs, including higher national insurance contributions and increases to the national living wage.
Usdaw general secretary Joanne Thomas said that while the fall in incidents was welcome, retail workers still face unacceptable risks. Two-thirds of attacks on staff are triggered by theft or armed robbery, union data suggest.
Retailers have spent more than £5bn over the past five years on security measures including CCTV systems and additional personnel, according to the BRC.
Despite the slight improvement, campaigners and unions argue that violence and theft remain at crisis levels, with many shop workers reporting heightened stress and anxiety about going to work.
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Violent attacks on shop staff fall by a fifth but remain ‘unacceptably high’