Responding to the written question (AQW 35402 22-27) Justice Minister Naomi Long MLA said: “No one should go to work fearing that they will face abuse. Although the Usdaw Freedom from Fear survey results do show a small decrease in number of instances reported, the high levels of abuse, threats and assaults faced by those working in retail remain unacceptable.
“I am fully committed to working with all partners, including businesses, the community and voluntary sector, PSNI, as well as other Departments and organisations, to ensure that we continue to reduce these numbers.
“My Sentencing Bill will legislate for a new offence of assaulting a person who is providing services to the public, performing a public duty or providing a public service. This will include attacks on retail workers. This new offence will carry a higher maximum penalty on conviction than the sentences currently available for similar less serious assault offences.
“Additionally, if a more serious assault offence is charged, I will make the fact that the victim is such a worker a statutory aggravating factor, meaning the courts will be required to reflect this specifically in the sentences imposed. These higher penalties will act as a significant deterrent and send the message that there is no place for these types of offences in our society.
“I intend to introduce this Sentencing Bill in January 2026, subject to Executive approval.”
Joanne Thomas – Usdaw general secretary says: “We very much welcome that the Minister is following through on her promise to legislate, we hope it will be well received in Stormont and will attract support from MLAs across the Assembly.
“Usdaw’s latest interim survey results have shown a welcome, but slight, downturn in the level of incidents retail workers are experiencing while doing their jobs. However, it remains shocking that nearly three-quarters of those working in retail are regularly facing abuse from customers, with far too many experiencing threats and violence.
“The standalone offence of attacking a retail worker has already been passed by Holyrood for Scotland and new legislation is currently going through Westminster for England and Wales, so we look forward to our members in Northern Ireland receiving similar protections.
“In the run up to Christmas, when the number of incidents increases as shops get busy and customers become frustrated, we are calling on the shopping public to ‘respect retail workers’ and ‘keep your cool’. This is a hugely important issue for our members and they are saying loud and clear that enough is enough.”
Notes for editors:
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is one of the fastest growing unions in the TUC and the UK's fifth biggest with around 360,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemical industry and other trades www.usdaw.org.uk
Interim results of the Usdaw’s 2025 survey based on 3,271 responses from retail workers across the UK show that in the last 12 months: 71% were verbally abused, 48% were threatened and 9% had been assaulted. The final results of the survey will be published in March 2026.
Usdaw’s Freedom From Fear Campaign seeks to prevent violence, threats and abuse against workers by engaging the public, shop workers and the Government. www.usdaw.org.uk/Campaigns/Freedom-From-Fear
For Usdaw press releases visit: www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Bluesky @usdawunion.bsky.social and Twitter/X @UsdawUnion