Bustling with shops, cafes pubs and restaurants, Jesmond is home to a wide range of retail spaces, as well as hard-working retail staff.

Yet research from The Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW) ‘Freedom From Fear Campaign’ reveals a decrease in UK retail workers’ mental health, since the cost-of-living crisis.

Joanne Thomas, north east regional secretary at USDAW, told JesmondLocal some of the reasons behind the concerning outcome from the campaign, after USDAW asked over 3,000 UK retail staff in a survey about their experience in retail.

She said: “72% workers felt that they had received verbal abuse from customer frustration, 42% had felt threatened for the same reasons and 5% had been assaulted. All these findings link to negative effects on retail workers mental health.”

USDAW are not alone in their findings. The Retail Trust have revealed that 52% of UK retail staff are now struggling with their mental wellbeing. The charity highlighted that these statistics are linked to the cost-of-living crisis, creating financial stresses for retail workers, as well as an increase in their mistreatment by customers.

Thomas, whose role at USDAW consists of advocating for retail workers’ rights in the north east of England, said that retail staff do not deserve any sort of abuse.

She explained: “Retail staff work incredibly hard and are only human. This is a wakeup call for everyone to consider respect when interacting with retail workers, especially in challenging times.”

‘We do need staff to be alert’

It is not just verbal and physical abuse that workers said they had faced in the Freedom From Fear Campaign.

One major worry is also threat of theft in retail spaces, with 31% experiencing shoplifting in store.

Kathy Cockburn, owner of Gourmet Gifts, on Acorn Road, explained that she has experienced people trying to steal from small shops and businesses.  

“The risk of theft is always stressful for retail workers in terms of business,” she said. “Customers in Jesmond are generally appreciating and friendly, however we do need staff to be alert.”  

She added: “It is still important for staff not to become too overworked. I always advise my staff to relax at night after a shift, so that they can de-stress.”

Store security has become a hot button issue of late, with the Metropolitan Police warning that shoplifters assess how easy it is to steal from a shop by how soon after they enter and when they are spoken to by a member of staff, labelling it as ‘the three-to-five second rule’.  

“A lot of the time, retail stores do not have relevant security,” said Thomas. “Obtaining this would help with their wellbeing, because they would feel safer in their place of work.”  

‘Good to talk’

Following its Freedom from Fear Campaign, USDAW is encouraging retail workers to prioritise their mental health more than ever, emphasising that it is “good to talk” and reduce stigmas around mental health.

Rachael Crompton, manager, and business support executive at Cake Stories, told JesmondLocal about the importance of retail staff talking.

“As well as keeping organised and drinking water, I always encourage my staff to talk to each other on shift, especially talking positively to each other, as this really boosts team morale,” she said. “Busy periods and mistakes do happen, so creating a good working environment is so key.”

Crompton has worked at Cake Stories for 14 moths and has been a manager at the Jesmond branch since May.

She has also found that kindness from customers is really helpful for staff wellbeing.

She explained: “Overall, our customer base in Jesmond is lovely and I have met many different people from different walks of life. It is always helpful when customers remember that we are people too. Mistakes can happen, we are only human, so it is of course never appreciated if any rude of snarky comments are made, as we are doing our best.”

‘I’ve worked out that how I look after myself outside work is just as important as in work’

Grace Gaskill-Jones, Jesmond resident and manager at Newcastle University’s Student Union (NUSU), said that looking after her mental health outside of work is just as important as inside.

“I like to listen to a podcast everyday walking to and from work because I feel like it helps me clear my head and not have to think about work while I’m on my way in.”

Additionally, like Crompton, Gaskill-Jones believes that customer kindness is one way to encourage staff to feel like they are doing a good job.

She said: “It’s really helpful when customers treat you like a human being and with respect. Retail can be draining so its nice to get some positive feedback.”  

‘There is still much work to be done’

Despite efforts to address the crisis, USDAW was clear that mental health issues among retail staff continue to rise.

Thomas said there was still much work to be done as the union actively engages with politicians to enact laws that protect retail workers from abuse.

One current key initiative within USDAW involves advocating for legislation that makes it an offense to abuse shop workers.

“Passing this law will be a step toward safeguarding the well-being of retail workers across the UK,” she said.