The Scottish Retail Consortium has enlisted the support of MSPs to mark the start of ShopKind Week (June 30th-July 6th), asking for shoppers to show kindness, consideration, and respect to Scotland’s retail workers.
The annual event coordinated by the Association of Convenience Stores and supported by the Scottish Retail Consortium and USDAW, is particularly relevant this year with Scottish Government statistics showing that violence against shopworkers continues to increase, rising to 2,870 Common or Serious Assaults of Retail Workers, an increase of over 300 incidents.
The SRC believes the mistreatment of those working in stores is wholly unacceptable and should not be tolerated. ShopKind Week aims to change that by promoting a world where everyone is able to enjoy shopping safely; and help to support the vibrancy of retail destinations across Scotland.
“Scotland’s 230,000 shop workers go above and beyond every day to look after customers to keep stores stocked and serve our customers,” Ewan MacDonald-Russell, deputy head of the Scottish Retail Consortium. “It is appalling that seven colleagues a day are facing assault, with innumerable others the victims of wider abuse.
“The SRC is calling on Scotland’s customers to bring some well-deserved kindness and consideration this ShopKind week. It would be fantastic if we could change the narrative and move to an environment where shop workers could feel safe in stores rather than fearing the next confrontation. Shop worker abuse is not inevitable, and whilst there is a role for businesses and the police, it is everyone’s responsibility to behave with thoughtfulness when shopping.”
A Parliamentary motion supporting ShopKind Week has been backed by 36 MSPs.
The SRC’s call has been backed by USDAW, who will be marking this week with a campaign on July 5th with stalls in Glasgow and Dundee to celebrate national retail workers day.
Tony Doonan, Scottish Regional Secretary, USDAW, said; “We fully support the SRC in its plea to the public to show courtesy and respect to shopworkers in what is a growing issue of violence and abuse that shopworkers face when carrying out their role. No one should have to experience threats of violence or intimidation in the workplace.”
