Originally published in The Mirror

Dear readers,

As we head towards the busiest shopping period of the year, we want to ask you to think about the three million people who work in retail across Britain.

The people who serve us, deliver our shopping, keep our shelves stocked and help make Christmas happen. Our neighbours, friends and family. People who take pride in what they do and make a real difference to our lives.

For too many of them, abuse has become part of the working day. Research from the Retail Trust shows that 79% of retail workers have experienced abuse simply for doing their jobs. Shouting, threats and even physical violence.

That's an extraordinary number of people being treated in a way none of us should accept.

We all know how busy and stressful this time of year can be. Shops are crowded, things don't always go to plan. It's easy to lose sight of the person in front of us.

But our shops and high streets are part of everyday life in Britain. They're where young people get their first jobs, where communities meet and where millions of us interact with people we might otherwise never speak to.

As retail leaders, we have a responsibility to protect our colleagues and make our workplaces safer. Across the industry, businesses are investing in security, training and support. But no retailer can tackle this problem alone.

That's why, this week, the Retail Trust, shopworkers' union Usdaw, the Association of Convenience Stores and the National Business Crime Centre are bringing their campaigns together for a national week of action.

And through the Retail Trust's Let's Respect Retail campaign, we're building a national movement to bring respect back to shopping and make it a better experience for everyone.  And now we're asking you to be part of that effort too. Because respect works both ways. Whether we're shopping or serving, it's about how we treat each other.

And we believe that sometimes it's the small things that can make a real difference. 

A little patience. A thank you. A hello. They remind us that we're dealing with another person, not just someone behind a till or delivering a parcel.

This Christmas, let's all make an effort to bring respect back to shopping. Whether we're working, shopping or simply passing through our local high street, we all have a part to play.

Not just for Christmas, but because everyone deserves to be treated with respect, every day of the year.

Let's start with hello.

Chris Brook-Carter, Chief Executive Officer, Retail Trust

Together with leaders from across Britain's retail community.

Chris Evans MP, Chair, All Party Parliamentary Group on Customer Service

Maria Hollins, CEO, Ann Summers Ltd

Jo Hayward, Vice President, Mobility and Convenience Retail UK, bp

Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive, BRC

Simon Brewer, CEO, Brewers Decorator Centres

Matthew Speight, Stores Director, Currys

Lindsay Haselhurst, Chief Operating Officer, Currys

Paul Gerrard, Director – Campaigns, Public Affairs and Policy, Co-op

Kate McCrae, Retail Operations Director, Co-op

Debbie Robinson, Chief Executive Officer, OurCoop

Tim Stacey, Chief Executive Officer, DFS Group

Lynn Ritson, Founder, Dreamtag Ltd

Asif Aziz OBE, Retail Director, EE

Will Crumbie, CEO, FatFace

Nathan Peacey, Partner, Foot Anstey LLP

Sean Ghouse, Director of Retail UK, Fortnum & Mason

Fraser Brown, Retail Director, Heathrow Airport

Fen Grey, Hello Tomorrow

Frankie Cory, Hello Tomorrow

Darren Kay, Retail Director, Hobbycraft

Anthony Houghton, Group CEO, Holland & Barrett

Constantinos Mourouzides, CFO, IKEA

Nico Beukes, CEO and Founder, Insider One

Ali Athar, Founder and CEO, ITIM

Katie Brownlow, Wellbeing and Hardship Lead, JD Group

Paul Orange, Managing Director EMEA JD Brand, JD Group

Mark Wright, CEO, JoJo Maman Bébé

Lee Shorten, Chairman and Non-executive Director, KM Trinity Partners

Sir Ian Cheshire, Chair of the Board, Landsec

Bruce Findlay, Managing Director – Retail, Landsec

Sarah Ashby, Acting CEO, Mamas & Papas

Pieter Van den Broecke, EMEA Leader, Supply Chain Commerce Strategies, Manhattan Associates

Martin Newman, Non-Executive Chairman of the Scout Store, board advisor to Clearpay, board advisor to Marketplacer and Trustee of In Kind Direct

Gøril Wold Wægger, Vice President Sales and Marketing, Maze

Billie O'Connor, CFO, Mulberry

Adrian Wright, Director, My Little Travel Bug Limited

Lisa Maslen, Superintendent, NBCC

Lynda Petherick, Chief Executive Officer, New Look

Jody Plows, CEO, Nobody’s Child

Clive Grunshaw, Police and Crime Commissioner, Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire

Peter Cross, Retail and Customer Expert and Author

Anja Madsen, Chief Operating Officer for Retail, Pets at Home

Pano Christou, CEO, Pret a Manger

Kari Rodgers, Retail Director, Primark

Julian Burnett, Founder, Quercus Advisors

Luci Vardy, Global Retail Director, Reiss Ltd

Charlotte Hardie, Editor in Chief at Retail Week and Managing Director of Content at The Grocer

Stephanie Karté, CEO, Retailers Against Crime CIC

Alasdair Field, CEO, Reveal Media

Theo Paphitis, Chairman and owner, Ryman, Robert Dyas, Boux Avenue and London Graphic Centre

Kypros Kyprianou, Group CEO, Ryman, Robert Dyas, Boux Avenue and London Graphic Centre

Hannah Wadey, CEO, Safer Business Network

Tracey Clements, Chief Retail, Logistics and Supply Chain Officer, Sainsbury's

Richard Green, Director, Seal Skinz

Nick Beighton, Chairman, Secret Sales

Adam Dickenson, General Manager UK&I, Sensormatic

Gill Smith, Managing Director, The Perfume Shop

Matt Bradley, Founder and Director, Retail Technology show

Gavin Peck, CEO, The Works Stores Ltd

Laurence Booth, Group CEO, Trust Retail

Darren Sanderson-Williams, President, Twenty Club

Joanne Thomas, General Secretary, Usdaw

Will O'Connor, Sales Director, Vision Express

Beth Worrall, CEO, VoCoVo

James Cadman, UK Retail, Hospitality, Healthcare Sales Director, Zebra

Would your organisation like to add its name to the open letter? Please get in touch with Jat at [email protected]