28 November 2025
- Smiles of respect will light up the UK from Black Friday in a stand against shop worker abuse
- Shoppers can upload their smiles at retailtrust.org.uk/respect and shared smiles will appear on the iconic screen at Piccadilly Circus on 17 December
Smiles of respect will light up big screens all over the UK from Black Friday as part of the Retail Trust’s Let’s Respect Retail campaign to confront the abuse facing the country’s retail workers.
Smiles from shop workers, members of the public and industry leaders will appear across high streets, shopping centres and landmark sites including Piccadilly Lights, Heathrow Airport and Flannels’ flagship Oxford Street store, in a united call for respect for retail staff in the run-up to Christmas.
Research by the Retail Trust from earlier this month has warned that 77% of shop staff have experienced intimidating behaviour in the last year and a quarter (23%) were physically assaulted. Close to half (43%) said they are being abused or attacked every week, a rise of 10% on 2024, when 33% told the Retail Trust they were experiencing weekly verbal or physical assaults.
The charity for retail workers is calling on shoppers to help restore humanity to the high street this Christmas, starting with simple gestures of respect like a hello, thank you or a smile.
Lord Stuart Rose, the former chairman of Marks & Spencer, Asda and Ocado, Charlie Mayfield, the former chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, and Howard Dawber, London’s Deputy Mayor for business, are among those to have shared smiles of respect for the Retail Trust’s screens.
Shoppers can show their support for retail workers by uploading their own smiles of respect at retailtrust.org.uk/respect and by sharing them on social media using #RespectRetail. Shared smiles will appear on the iconic screen at Piccadilly Circus on Wednesday 17 December.
Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of the Retail Trust, said: “Thoughtless, unkind and aggressive behaviour has become ‘part of the job’ for too many shop workers today. It’s on all of us to help bring humanity back to the high street this Christmas, starting with acts as simple as a thank you, a greeting, and a smile.
“The smiles being shared across the country represent the Retail Trust’s call for dignity and decency. We know that the smallest acts of respect still make a huge difference to people who are facing daily hostility at work and this is our moment to prove that and to change behaviour.”
Theo Paphitis, chairman of Theo Paphitis Retail Group including Ryman, Robert Dyas, Boux Avenue and London Graphic Centre added: “The retail industry is one of the most supportive around, as shown by the warmth for, and engagement with, this year’s important ‘Let’s Respect Retail’ campaign.
Our store colleagues are out there helping our customers day in, day out and respect is the very least we should ask for as we serve our communities. Visit stores, smile and engage positively with our colleagues and this becomes a win-win for all.”
Alongside Piccadilly Circus, Heathrow Airport and Flannels, screens featuring the Retail Trust’s smiles of respect will appear at 24 UK shopping centres until Christmas, including Bluewater, Metrocentre, Westfield London and Westfield Stratford, thanks to the Retail Trust’s partnership with the JCDecaux Community Channel.
Others supporting the campaign include Primark, Holland & Barrett, H&M, bp, Landsec and Elevate, the retail media network for Frasers Group’s physical and digital advertising spaces, which include Flannels’ Oxford Street store.
Kari Rodgers, UK retail director at Primark, said: “As we move into the festive period and stores get busier, our store colleagues are there to help but any abuse directed towards anyone working in retail is simply not acceptable. A small gesture like a smile or a thank you can make a real difference, so I’d encourage everyone to remember there’s a person behind the uniform when out shopping in the coming weeks.”
Jo Hayward, vice president, mobility & convenience retail of bp, said: “I’m proud to support the Retail Trust’s Respect Retail campaign. Our retail teams work incredibly hard to deliver great experiences for our customers every single day. They’re a vital part of our business and a key part of your communities. A smile or thank you goes a long way. Let’s show them we care.”
Derek Manns, head of commercialisation at Landsec, said: “Piccadilly Lights has a long history of bringing people together, not only as one of the world’s most iconic advertising landmarks, but as a platform that shines a light on causes that matter. Over the years, it has championed charitable campaigns, celebrated moments of national pride, and provided brands with an immersive, experience-led stage to tell their stories in extraordinary ways.
“Retail workers are the heartbeat of our industry, keeping shops, restaurants and experiences running day in, day out. They contribute so much, both to their local communities and the success of our places. We’re using Piccadilly Lights to amplify the Retail Trust’s message of kindness and respect for retail workers because we have a responsibility to support and protect the thousands of people who work in our centres. In doing so, we’re reflecting what this landmark has always stood for: connection, community and the power of unrivalled visibility to inspire change.”
Howard Dawber, Deputy Mayor of London for Business and Growth, said: “London’s retail workers play a vital role across our city and they deserve to be treated with kindness and respect.
“I’m proud to support the Let’s Respect Retail campaign to showcase just how much our capital’s retail workers are appreciated and how a smile or a thank you for them is a small but important gesture, especially in the busy run up to Christmas. I hope Londoners will join me in saying a huge thank you to all our hardworking retail staff, as we build a better, more prosperous London for all.”
The Retail Trust launched the Let’s Respect Retail campaign in 2022 as part of its work to tackle rising levels of abuse against retail workers. Since then, the charity has continued to provide training and wellbeing support to help employers protect their people and called on shoppers to change their behaviour. Its 2025 campaign brings together more retailers, brands and shopping centres in a new effort to promote respect on the high street, and has also been supported by Foot Anstey, GXO, Karcher, Manhattan Associates, Maze, Reveal, Sensormatic, Usdaw, VoCoVo and Zebra.
