'Appalling levels' of violence and abuse are being directed at retail workers on a daily basis, claims the British Retail Consortium, which is blaming the Covid-19 pandemic for normalising attacks on staff.

Incidents, says the body representing the retail sector, have almost doubled since 2020 with assaults, threats from weapons, verbal attacks and racial and sexual abuse all recorded in its latest annual crime survey.

Prior to 2020, around 450 incidents involving shop staff were being recorded each day but this has rocketed to over 850 daily cases in the last 12 months - with thousands of employees regularly reporting being shouted at, spat on, threatened or hit while at work.

Alongside the huge emotional and physical impact on victims, the BRC says retail crime in the UK now carries a huge financial cost to companies.

As well as the massive amount of money lost to customer theft - which amounted to £959 million for the year 2011/22- retailers also spent £715 million during the same time period on crime prevention.

While some costs have been 'critical' in protecting colleagues the measures also eventually lead to higher prices for customers as companies face higher operating costs which have to be recouped.

Police support, says the BRC, is vital and the organisation is now calling on forces to make retail crime a priority in local policing strategies.

Staff having to enforce and encourage mask wearing among customers during lockdown, while also getting shoppers to maintain social distancing rules during the pandemic, are believed to have triggered the major spike in abuse and violence towards workers which is now becoming the norm.

In response, the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act introduced tougher penalties last year against customers who attack shop workers but the Home Office currently does not track use of the amendment, making it impossible to understand if the changes are having any impact.

Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, explained: "The pandemic has normalised appalling levels of violent and abusive behaviour against retail workers. While a confrontation may be over in minutes, for many victims, their families and colleagues, the physical and emotional impact can last a lifetime.

"To make the UK a safer place to work the Home Office must improve its reporting around the amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, and the police must prioritise adequately resourcing retail crime. Surely everyone deserves the right to go to work without fear."

Usdaw, the union which represents shop staff and distribution workers, says it is 'deeply' disturbed by the sheer level of incidents its members are now contending with.

Paddy Lillis, general secretary, said: "It is deeply disturbing that the level of incidents faced by retail workers is now higher than before the pandemic. Violence and abuse is not an acceptable part of the job and too many shopworkers suffer all too often.

"Our joint campaigning with the BRC secured new protection of workers legislation, but to ensure that this is properly enforced, there must be adequate police resources and retail crime must be taken seriously."

In an interview with Kentonline last year, two former retail workers described the levels of anger that would be regularly directed at them by customers.

The pair, who worked at New Look and Food Warehouse, said they were frequently subjected to verbal abuse by shoppers who thought nothing of taking their frustration out on cashiers.

Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of Retail Trust, said staff should be reporting any form of abuse they encounter.

He added: "Our message at the Retail Trust is clear. This is simply not acceptable and if you are a retail colleague suffering from any kind of abuse, threats or violence, please report this to your manager and call the Retail Trust’s wellbeing helpline (0808 801 0808) if you need any help dealing with your experiences."