Local co-operative stores are joining in a national campaign which asks people across the Isle of Wight to ShopKind.
Southern Co-op, which operates The Co-operative Food stores, as well as funeral and coffee services across the South, is working with some of the UK’s biggest retailers, The Home Office and Crimestoppers on a timely campaign urging the public to ShopKind after the reopening of more stores and shops across the country.
Mark Smith, Chief Executive at Southern Co-op, said:
“Despite our colleagues going above and beyond to serve our customers and communities during the pandemic, they have still had to suffer verbal abuse, threats and violent attacks. We had nearly 18,000 reports of crime at our 201 stores in 2020 – an increase of 25% from 2019. This is unacceptable and must stop.
“While we continue to invest in and take action to protect our colleagues, the ShopKind campaign raises the public profile of this issue and is a positive message of support for retail workers across the country.”
Abuse and violence towards shopworkers is a bigger problem than many people might think, with at least 400 shopworkers abused every day.
The #ShopKind campaign urges the public to be mindful of shopworkers’ essential role in supporting people during these difficult times and emphasises that we should all treat workers and also other customers with respect, kindness and gratitude.
The Association of Convenience Stores’ 2021 Crime Report, published last month, shows that over the past year there have been over 1.2million incidents of verbal abuse, and around 40,000 incidents of violence against people working in convenience stores. Of these, more than a quarter involved a weapon, such as a knife, hammer, axe, or syringe.
Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets Paul Scully, said:
“Retail workers have played an essential role in supporting communities across the country duringg the pandemic and have worked tirelessly to put covid-secure measures in place to keep us all safe.
“Staff in our great shops, pubs, hairdressers and more should be treated with the utmost respect and gratitude – after such a difficult year, we all have a duty to treat each other with kindness.”
Good manners and respect cost nothing……………………………….
Good idea, so many rude, arrogant customers, ignoring the rules put in place and being abusive. Makes me sick.