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9 Jan 2024

Canal boat record store Rubber Ducky Records is back on the water after it sank last April, ruining over 1,000 vinyl records and a stow of music equipment stored on...

9 Jan 2024

While mass-market players continue to dominate the UK retail industry, research by Geek Retreat shows that 15% of Brits have set up their own business in the past ten years, and of these,...

8 Jan 2024

The British Independent Retailers Association has said 2024 is anticipated to be a challenging period for shop keepers as economic challenges are still set to bite.

2 Jan 2024

Hudjo is the first online marketplace that lets cyclists park with locals, which relieves the anxiety of parking your bike. 

20 Dec 2023

The ActSmart office will be open as usual (9am-5pm) for the majority of the Christmas period, with some exceptions.

19 Dec 2023

Bira's CEO, Andrew Goodacre, took the spotlight on BBC Breakfast this week and later spoke with Nicky Campbell on BBC Radio 5 Live, shedding light on the rise in retail crime and shop theft,...

18 Dec 2023

Dress shop Pocket Watch & Petticoats in Trinity Street has been crowned the winner in Cambridge BID’s Christmas window competition.

18 Dec 2023

In the age of online shopping, the pursuit of the best deals during the festive season is increasingly common. However, as consumers flock to virtual marketplaces, cybercriminals are seizing the...

18 Dec 2023

Fresh evidence about the increasing problem of thefts from shops has been revealed amid a warning that organised shoplifting is now among the most common type of crimes against small firms.

18 Dec 2023

One of the North West’s oldest record shops has reopened after 14 months, creating a small museum to pay tribute to its long-standing musical connections with the city.

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400 shopworkers abused everyday as customers urged to "Shopkind"

Posted on in Business News ,Brands & Products News , Cycles News , Creative News, Outdoor News

  • 1.2 million incidents of verbal abuse and 40,000 incidents of violence against shopworkers in the last year
  • 65% of shopworkers have experienced Covid-related threats with 400 abused every day

40,00Shopkind0 shopworkers were victims of violence in the last year according to a 2021 Crime Report from the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS).

ACS are a member of the Independent Retailers Confederation (IRC), a well-established organisation representing c.100,000 independent retailers throughout the UK. 

The Crime Report comes as the UK's biggest retailers, the Home Office and independent charity Crimestoppers have today rallied together and launched a new campaign urging the public to ShopKind after the reopening of non-essential stores and shops across the country.

The #ShopKind campaign urges the public to be mindful of shopworkers' essential role in supporting people during these difficult times and emphasises that we should all treat workers and other customers with respect, kindness and gratitude.

The Home Office backed campaign is supported by major high street names as well as the nation's independent shopkeepers, and the shopworkers Union USDAW. Over 100 retailers, local authorities and police representatives are supporting the campaign. The ShopKind campaign will be visible across high streets and social media from today.

Abuse and violence towards shopworkers is a bigger problem than many people might think, with at least 400 shopworkers abused every day according to the British Retail Consortium.

The 2021 Crime Report, shows that over the past year there have been over 1.2million incidents of verbal abuse, and around 40,000 incidents of violence against people working in convenience stores. Of these, more than a quarter involved a weapon, such as a knife, hammer, axe, or syringe.

Two-thirds of retailers (65%) have experienced Covid-related threats, with the most common causes of abuse being: reminding customers to wear face coverings, reminding customers of social distancing measures and queueing outside stores.

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