Retail staff report spike in customer abuse as soaring cost of living ignites tempers

As the cost of living rises so too does the number of retail staff reporting being abused by customers, ITV News Consumer Editor Chris Choi reports

The rise in the cost of living has been matched by a rise in the number of retail staff being abused by their customers.

Figures shared with ITV News by the Retail Trust found 90% of retail workers and 70% said the abuse had gotten worse in the last two years.

In a survey of 2,000 shoppers, 62% said they had been frustrated by rising prices, and of these 71% admitted to raising their voice or losing their temper at staff.

Shopkeeper Paul Cheema told ITV News he was now seeing abuse on a daily basis.

A shopkeeper in Coventry says there's no pointing take anger out on staff members when the price of goods is beyond their control

"We're governed by the prices that are coming in but its no need to take the anger out on the people working in the store because it's beyond their control as well."

New laws were brought in in June to increase punishments against people who abused staff.

Jo Causon from the Institute of Customer Service said more than 40% of people they'd talked to were considering leaving the industry.

A Wickes member of staff spoke to ITV News anonymously saying: "I was pretty shook up, I didn't feel good at all, I was away from work for a number of weeks.

"No one deserves to be attacked when they're trying to work and trying to earn some money."

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