Most retail workers have experienced customer abuse, survey finds

The majority of retail workers in the State have experienced some form of abuse or harassment from customers, a situation that is forcing some staff to seek work outside the sector, a new study has found.

The incidents are happening regularly, the survey found, with 68 per cent experiencing harassment at least once a month.

The research, carried out for Circle K, found that 83 per cent of retail workers had been abused by customers, with half of retail workers having witnessed colleagues being physically assaulted by customers.

Some 28 per cent of retail workers said they had experienced gender-based harassment from customers. About 70 per cent of workers said their experience was pushing them to consider employment outside retail.

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The research was carried out among 500 retail employees across a range of retail settings, plus 380 Circle K staff. Some 75 per cent of the company’s own staff had experienced abuse from customers, while 69 per cent said they had witnessed inappropriate behaviour aimed at colleagues, including physical assault and verbal abuse. A third of affected Circle K staff said the harassment was based on race.

“We have seen this issue develop first-hand and while the vast majority of our customers behave appropriately, we are increasingly seeing incidents of unacceptable behaviour by certain customers towards our colleagues,” said Gordon Lawlor, managing director of Circle K Ireland. “Our research clearly demonstrates that this issue is not just confined to Circle K and is a challenge for the wider retail sector at large.”

Director of Retail Ireland Arnold Dillon said the level of harassment was an enormous concern. “The consequences for staff are very real, including mental health issues, burnout and increased absence,” he said. “At a time when there are labour shortages in many parts of the sector, it’s important that everything is done to make the sector an attractive place to work. We all have a part to play in supporting retail employees and together reducing the levels of harassment.”