RETAIL union Usdaw condemned “appalling levels” of violence and abuse against retail workers today after a shocking new survey found that incidents have nearly doubled on pre-coronavirus levels.

Daily reports of racial and sexual abuse and physical assault — including threats with weapons — skyrocketed from a 2019-20 high of more than 450 to over 850 in 2021-22, according to research conducted by the British Retail Consortium (BRC).

The trade association warned that, alongside the “huge emotional and physical impact on people, retail crime bears a huge financial cost,” totalling a whopping £1.76 billion in the latest figures.