Retail industry warns of increased abuse against workers over mask rules

The chief executive of the British Retail Consortium has said that she fears of increased violence and abuse against workers when the mask mandate is dropped from the 19 July.

In a survey conducted by the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied workers nearly nine in 10 retail workers said they had been verbally abused in 2020. 60 per cent reported threats of physical violence.

Retailers are currently having to weigh up whether or not to ask customers to wear masks in their stores from the 19 July, a day the Prime Minister has dubbed “freedom day”.

Dickinson said: “There has been a big rise in violence and abuse against retail workers during the pandemic and colleagues cannot be put in the firing line because of this change of policy.”

The BRC boss went on to say that her “primary concern” is that government messaging is “clear about what is regulation and what is advisory so that people understand what is expected of them.”

Dickinson’s comments come after a week of feverous debate about whether or not it is right to scrap the legal obligation to wear masks.

That debate was exemplified by Dickinson stating that “retailers will have many people in their stores who want to continue wearing masks, and many who don’t, and [they] will have to accommodate everyone.”

The boss of Sainsbury’s, Simon Roberts, said that he would consult with staff but that ultimately any decision on masks would be up to the individual.

While Johnson dropped the legal obligation on mask wearing, he did, along with Sir Patrick Vallance and Chris Whitty, say that he would wear a mask in a crowded public space as a matter of “courtesy”.

The law on mask wearing is disappearing along with social distancing in hospitality venues, no order to work from home and no ban on mass outdoor events.