Research published by VoCoVo found that 88% of retailers have seen staff quit because of verbal or physical abuse from customers, while in-store crime and aggression have become a regular concern across much of the sector.
Based on a survey of UK consumers and retail decision-makers, the findings point to growing pressure on staffing and the shopping environment. More than a third of retailers said incidents of abuse or crime occur at least once a week, and 86% are concerned about rising in-store incidents.
The data suggests younger shoppers are more likely than other age groups to admit to offending in shops. Among 18- to 24-year-olds, 47% said they had stolen from a store and 35% said they had abused a retail colleague or another customer in store.
The trend comes as retailers continue to report strain on recruitment and retention. Rising abuse was identified as the third biggest reason jobseekers avoid retail roles, behind shift patterns and pay.
Retailers have faced growing concern over theft and violence in stores, with front-line workers often bearing the brunt. The latest figures add to evidence that abuse is affecting not only staff safety and morale, but also the ability of chains and independent operators to retain workers.
Shoppers are also affected. Nearly half of consumers surveyed, 48%, said they feel uncomfortable when they witness abuse in store, suggesting the problem harms the customer experience as well as working conditions.
Technology Response
Retailers are increasingly looking to technology to help identify incidents and support staff when situations escalate. More than two-thirds, 67%, said artificial intelligence could help address crime and abuse in shops.
The tools seen as most useful were AI-assisted reporting and logging systems, cited by 35% of retailers, followed by automated incident alert systems at 33% and AI-powered CCTV at 27%.
VoCoVo, which sells communications tools for retail staff, said the findings highlight the scale of the challenge facing stores and the need for retailers to share approaches to staff protection and incident management.
"Retail colleagues are facing unprecedented levels of stress from verbal and physical aggression, which is eroding morale and making both recruitment and retention increasingly difficult.
Technology has a vital role to play, helping retailers identify suspicious behaviour earlier while keeping colleagues connected at all times to call on support when a situation escalates.
But tackling abuse at scale requires an industry-wide effort, bringing retailers together to share best practices, standardise safety measures and explore innovative solutions to protect colleagues, supported by policy and government," said Beth Worrall, chief executive officer of VoCoVo.
VoCoVo was established in 2011 and is based in Oxford and Chicago. It provides voice communications products for retailers in more than 20 countries, including the UK, the US and across Europe.
The figures underline how retail crime is shifting from a stock loss issue to a labour market problem for the sector. When staff leave because of abuse, employers face higher recruitment costs, increased turnover and the challenge of filling roles in a market where pay and working patterns already make hiring difficult.
For store operators, the pressure is operational as well as financial. Frequent incidents can disrupt trading, pull managers away from core tasks and create an atmosphere that affects both staff confidence and customer behaviour.
The material released does not state the survey sample size, but the findings add to the debate over how retailers should respond to rising theft, harassment and violence in shops. With more than a third of retailers reporting incidents at least weekly, the data suggests many stores now treat abuse and crime as a routine risk rather than an occasional problem.
One of the clearest findings is the link between these incidents and staff departures, with 88% of retailers saying colleagues have resigned because of customer abuse.