Marks & Spencer is the first major UK grocer to publicly back the Retail Trust’s Let’s Respect Retail campaign, which seeks to tackle abuse and intimidation against shopworkers.
The national initiative asks shoppers to treat retail employees with courtesy and provides practical resources to help workers prevent, manage and recover from hostile incidents.
M&S is also calling on policymakers, law enforcement, the public and other retailers to help create safer workplaces across Britain’s high streets. Hundreds of retailers already support the campaign.
The Retail Trust plans to renew its appeal to shoppers in the run-up to Christmas. Last year, campaign messages appeared on major digital screens at Piccadilly Lights, Heathrow Airport and shopping centres.
Marks & Spencer’s support builds on its existing partnership with the Retail Trust, through which its 65,000 colleagues can access wellbeing services following abuse, intimidation or difficult customer interactions.
This includes practical resources, specialist assistance and a confidential 24-hour helpline. M&S said these services sit alongside its investment in store security and its work with policing partners to address retail crime.
In the campaign announcement, M&S Retail Director Thinus Keeve said: “Our colleagues are at the heart of M&S and every one of them deserves to feel safe, respected and valued when they come to work. While the vast majority of customer interactions are positive, abuse should never be accepted as part of the job.”
The announcement comes as research conducted by the Retail Trust for the campaign found that, in 2025, 77% of retail workers had experienced intimidating behaviour from customers during the previous year. Almost one-quarter (23%) said they had been physically assaulted and around 43% reported experiencing abuse or attacks on a weekly basis.
Chris Brook-Carter, Chief Executive of the Retail Trust, said: “M&S’s commitment to Let’s Respect Retail sends out a powerful message that no one should face intimidation, abuse or violence at work and shows how retailers can create safer and more respectful shopping environments by taking meaningful action to support their staff.”
The partnership comes as retailers continue to press for stronger responses to crime affecting stores and employees.
Official figures recorded 509,566 shoplifting incidents in 2025, down 1% from the previous year, although a Home Office clarification changed how offences involving violence or threats should be classified. Robberies of business property rose 78% to 26,158 over the same period.