BRC Opinium crime research: many Brits have witnessed retail worker violence or abuse

More than 14 million people across the UK have witnessed violence or abuse against retail workers in the past year, according to new BRC-Opinium research.

21% of the population have seen incidents including racial or sexual abuse, physical assault or threats with weapons while shopping. This was little improvement on last year, when 23% of customers witnessed such incidents. 

The survey also found that 23% of people have witnessed shoplifting - this was almost unchanged from 24% last year. Retailers say organised criminal gangs are increasingly targeting high value goods, that can easily be resold.  

The findings come amidst persistently high levels of retail crime. Separate BRC data revealed there were 1,600 incidents of violence and abuse against retail workers every day last year. While this was down on the previous year, it remained the second highest on record. This included 118 incidents involving physical violence, and 36 involving a weapon.

Violence and abuse are not limited to those working in stores: delivery drivers are often subjected to abuse, physical violence, and threats with weapons.

Retailers have spent an estimated £5 billion fighting retail crime over the past five years, including CCTV, more security personnel, anti-theft devices and body worn cameras. These costs add to existing financial pressures, limiting investment and contributing to higher prices for customers everywhere.  

Experiences vary significantly across regions in the UK. London recorded the highest proportion of people witnessing violence and abuse (32%). Yorkshire and Humberside followed at 26%, with the North East next at 23%. The East of England recorded the lowest figure, with 13% of customers witnessing an incident.

The picture was a little different for shop theft. London and the West Midlands recorded the highest level (29%), followed by Yorkshire and Humberside and the North West (26%), the South East (25%) and the South West (24%).

The government is seeking to address retail crime through the new Crime and Policing Bill which will soon pass into law. Retailers hope this will play a vital role in protecting retail workers from harm and tackling the surge in theft, the BRC observes.

The bill includes a standalone offence which will improve the visibility of violence so that police can allocate appropriate resources to the challenge. It will also remove the £200 threshold of ‘low level’ theft, sending a clear signal that all shoplifting will be treated seriously.

However, the BRC argues that the bill needs to go further by extending protections to all customer-facing retail workers, including delivery drivers, just as the Workers Protection Act does in Scotland.

Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, says: “For too many people, violence and abuse are now part of the shopping experience. An incident might last seconds, but for workers and bystanders, the impact can last a lifetime.”

“The Crime and Policing Bill is an important step in towards protecting retail workers and tackling crime. But as drafted, it falls short. Retail workers in England and Wales deserve the same protections as those in Scotland, including delivery drivers. Everyone in a customer facing role should be protected - no exceptions.”

2026 RTIH Innovation Awards

Retail security will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.

Check out our 2025 winners here.

Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”

“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”

He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”

Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.