VIOLENCE and abuse against retail workers remains at “unacceptable” levels despite dropping by a fifth last year, shop workers union Usdaw has warned.

A new British Retail Consortium (BRC) annual report has shown the overall number of incidents falling from 2,000 a day to 1,600.

But this is still the second highest level on record and far beyond the 455 incidents a day registered before the pandemic.

Usdaw general secretary Joanne Thomas said: “The drop in violence and abuse is welcome news, but both Usdaw and BRC data shows that retail workers continue to face unacceptable levels of violence and abuse simply as a result of going to work.

“The 5.5 million incidents of shop theft are in no way a victimless crime, with Usdaw evidence showing that two-thirds of attacks on retail staff being triggered by theft or armed robbery.

“Having to deal with repeated and persistent offences can cause issues beyond the theft itself, like anxiety, fear and physical harm to retail workers.”

Some 13 per cent of retailers rated the police response to incidents as good or excellent this year, up from 9 per cent in BRC’s previous report.

The report warned that organised criminal gangs were increasingly targeting high-value, easily resold goods and exploiting a lack of consequences.

It also included parcel theft for the first time, which it said cost retailers more than £100 million last year.

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: “Violence remains endemic. 

“Theft remains a huge issue, with an increasingly concerning link to organised criminal gangs, who continue to systematically target one store after another, stealing tens of thousands of pounds worth of goods in one go.”