A SOUTHAMPTON woman is calling for more community support to end abuse against shop workers.
Beccy Ruddick, a supermarket worker in the city, is urging residents to support the USDAW’s Freedom From Fear campaign.
The purpose of the campaign is to support retail workers and ensure the general public understands the key message that abuse is not part of the job.
It aims to prevent violence, threats, and abuse against workers.
Beccy told the Daily Echo: "Every minute of every day, a shop worker is abused, threatened, or assaulted.
"I work in Sainsbury's in Shirley, which is a small supermarket, so although we have experienced abuse and assaults, we do not experience them as much as convenience stores such as Tesco Express, Co-op, Sainsbury's, One-Stop, and small businesses on the High Street.
"Abuse increased dramatically at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. "Remember when customers cleared the shelves and then blamed ordinary employees for the lack of toilet paper and pasta?"
Beccy believes the cost of living crises is too causing an increase in abuse and assaults.
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To raise awareness about this issue, she will be holding a stall in Sainsbury's on Shirley High Street this afternoon.
She added: "Christmas is coming, and customers become fractious, so as retail workers, not only are we busier and under pressure, but we are dealing with a public that can take their stresses out on us."
Beccy is also pressuring the Southampton city council, and Hampshire Police Force to support the campaign in order to tackle this issue.
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