Retailers urged to report offences during Respect for Shopworkers Week as Usdaw 2025 survey results revealed
Retailers and businesses across Northern Ireland are being encouraged to report offences and incidents, including anti-social behaviour and theft, to help reduce business crime across the country.
The calls come during Respect for Shopworkers Week, which began on Monday 10th November, with PSNI officers set to conduct planned operations and engage with local businesses across the week.
They will also conduct high visibility patrols across town and city centres across Northern Ireland.
The action comes as retail trade union, Usdaw launched shocking statistics from its annual survey with unacceptable levels of verbal abuse, threats and assaults against retail staff.
Interim results from over 3000 retail staff across the UK show that in the last 12 months 71% have experienced verbal abuse; 48% were threatened by a customer and 9% were assaulted.
Northern Irish voices from the frontline shared their experience of abuse with the survey, with countless stories of abuse told:
- “Abuse on doorstep as a delivery driver”.
- “Because we didn’t have an item in stock, I was deemed f**king useless”.
- “Customer hit me from behind while I was reaching shelves”.
- “Refused to serve as they had no ID, they then verbally abused me”.
- “Was told I should have been aborted”.
- “Threatening language from youths at night time”.
- “Someone high on drugs, threatened to end my life”.
Usdaw general secretary, Joanne Thomas said these experiences from Northern Irish retail workers make very difficult reading.
“Retail workers deserve far more respect than they receive. This year’s UK-wide annual survey interim results show a welcome, but slight, downturn in the level of incidents retail workers are experiencing while doing their jobs,” she said.
“However, it remains shocking that nearly three-quarters of those working in retail are regularly facing abuse from customers, with far too many experiencing threats and violence.
“Violence and abuse are not an acceptable part of the job and much more needs to be done to protect retail workers. We welcome that the Northern Ireland Executive has agreed to introduce a new offence of assaulting a person providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing services to the public. Usdaw and NIRC made representations on this matter and we look forward to continuing to engage with the Executive as this legislation passes through Stormont.”
As part of the proactive approach by the PSNI, officers will be holding Safer Business Action Days (SaBA) to deliver focused operations with patrols, a range of crime prevention activity and the targeted intervention of offenders.
“This year, we will be focusing on encouraging businesses to report criminal activity to police, to help tackle some of our most prolific offenders,” said Superintendent Allister Hagan.
“We are aware that our business community do not always contact police when dealing with this type of offence, but through increased engagement and crime prevention initiatives; we hope this will provide reassurance that our officers are there to help.
“Through our local Neighbourhood policing officers, we want retailers and businesses to engage with police to help us target our approach to reducing business crime. Under reporting is an issue that police are aware of, but we want all members of our local communities to come forward if they have been a victim of crime or see something suspicious.
“This information is vital in apprehending offenders, focusing resources and ultimately reduce crime and anti-social behaviour.
“We have an extremely diverse range of businesses for shoppers visiting our town and cities. This is one of the key elements that makes Northern Ireland a great place to work, live and socialise. We hope that further businesses will see the potential of making towns and cities across Northern Ireland their home.
“Our towns and cities have some of the lowest crime rates in the UK. We want retailers, businesses and the local community to feel safe when shopping and doing business across Northern Ireland. Working closely with our key stakeholders and partner agencies, we will continue to make towns and cities desirable and prosperous where business crime is not tolerated and will be dealt with robustly.”
The interim results of Usdaw’s 2025 survey are based on 3271 responses from retail workers – the final results of the survey will be published in March 2026.
