Smiles of respect will light up big screens all over the UK from Black Friday as part of the Retail Trust’s Let’s Respect Retail campaign to confront the abuse facing the country’s retail workers.
Smiles from shop workers, members of the public and industry leaders will appear across high streets, shopping centres and landmark sites, including Piccadilly Lights, Heathrow Airport and Flannels’ flagship Oxford Street store, in a united call for respect for retail staff in the run-up to Christmas.
Research by the Retail Trust warns that 77% of shop staff have experienced intimidating behaviour in the last year, and a quarter (23%) were physically assaulted. Close to half (43%) said they are being abused or attacked every week, a rise of 10% on 2024, when 33% told the Retail Trust they were experiencing weekly verbal or physical assaults.
The charity for retail workers is calling on shoppers to help restore humanity to the high street this Christmas, with simple gestures of respect like a hello, thank you or a smile.
Lord Stuart Rose, the former chairman of Marks & Spencer, Asda and Ocado, Charlie Mayfield, the former chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, and Howard Dawber, London’s Deputy Mayor for business, are among those to have shared smiles of respect for the Retail Trust’s screens.
Shoppers can show their support for retail workers by uploading their own smiles of respect here and by sharing them on social media using #RespectRetail. Shared smiles will appear on the iconic screen at Piccadilly Circus on Wednesday 17 December.
Commenting is Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of the Retail Trust
“Thoughtless, unkind and aggressive behaviour has become ‘part of the job’ for too many shop workers today. It’s on all of us to help bring humanity back to the high street this Christmas, starting with acts as simple as a thank you, a greeting, and a smile.
“The smiles being shared across the country represent the Retail Trust’s call for dignity and decency. We know that the smallest acts of respect still make a huge difference to people who are facing daily hostility at work and this is our moment to prove that and to change behaviour.”
For further information on the Retail Trust, please click here