Counting the cost of retail

MANDATE Trade Union has called on the state to introduce legislation that makes it a specific offense for customers to intimidate assault or harass a retail worker. Gerry Light, General Secretary of Mandate, told Retail News he was reasserting calls to Neale Richmond TD, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with special responsibility for Employment Affairs and Retail Business, to introduce a “custodial penalty of up to seven years” for abuse directed at retail workers. “We’ve had members who’ve been spat at,” said Light. “There is precedent to say we need to afford retail workers protection because they are exposed.”

The call comes on foot of a survey by Circle K, the forecourt and convenience retailer, which found that 83% of retail staff in Ireland have experienced harassment from customers. Retail representatives told Retail News that reports of verbal and physical harassment of staff began rising during pandemic restrictions and have not abated since.

Recent years have seen many high profile incidents. In October 2020, a video of a gang of youths harassing employees at a Gala store on Sheriff Street, in north inner city Dublin, went viral. In April 2021, a shopkeeper in Drumcondra died from heart failure after chasing an alleged shoplifter. Last November, Galway news outlets reported an incident in which gangs of youths ran through Eyre Square Shopping Centre throwing eggs and ketchup.

Arnold Dillon, Director, Retail Ireland, added: “Since we emerged from Covid, we’re hearing more from retailers about their staff’s negative experiences, ranging from low level rudeness to verbal abuse and assault. It’s a massive concern for the business. It’s not isolated to one particular area or type of store but clearly some of these problems are prevalent late at night and in city centre, urban locations.”

According to Circle K’s survey - conducted amongst 380 of its own colleagues and 500 people across a “broad range” of retail settings - half of Irish retail workers have witnessed customers physically assault a colleague. 28% have experienced gender-based abuse; 34% have experienced racial abuse.

“Frequently, this has racist undertones,” concurred Vincent Jennings, CEO of CSNA (Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association). “We’ve asked fellow workers in the stores who are Irish or white if they have noticed or experienced harassment to the same level, and there is no doubt they have not. It is not acceptable that somebody has racist invectives flung at them. These are people we are sworn to protect.”

The forecourt survey follows other studies in recent years which suggest the problem is worsening. In 2021, CSNA’s National Security Report found that 80% of 490 retailers surveyed had experienced “aggressive, violent and threatening behaviour” within the previous three months. 58% were subjected to verbal abuse on a weekly basis.

“That’s an extraordinary high majority,” said Jennings. “This is not going away and it doesn’t seem to be attracting the attention that it should from those charged with protecting and providing security – the police force, courts and the Department of Justice.”

In 2021, Scotland passed the Protection of Workers Bill, which created a new offense for retail workers who are assaulted, threatened or abused. Last year, the UK introduced new policies to allow for large penalties handed to customers who harass shop workers, under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. Some retailers, alongside Mandate, want to see similar legislation introduced in Ireland. “It’s an additional crime to go after a first responder, a Garda, or a fire brigade person. But I also feel that retail workers, and others serving the public, deserve protection,” said Jennings.

Mandate believes employers should take more responsibility in tackling anti-social behaviour in their stores. The trade union welcomed Circle K’s survey and encouraged other retailers to do the same – send out a clear message that they do not tolerate abuse of their staff.

Gerry Light said “the responsibility is primarily and initially with the employer to have security measures in place – CCTV, panic buttons, properly trained staff - whether in management or security - to intervene immediately in the event a retail worker is mistreated. They should also have a clear company policy of zero tolerance in regard to abuse of staff and make it obvious that any abuse of any form against staff will not be tolerated.”

A spokesperson for Circle K told Retail News the company launched a series of anti-harassment campaigns in 2022, which included “mitigation procedures, implemented to protect Circle K team members”. These included: store team and leadership training; simplified