UK retail employees are set to receive free training to help them deal with antisocial behaviour at work, after new data found that British businesses are at risk of up to a £7.8bn expense for replacing staff members.

According to research from the Retail Trust, 41% of retail workers were at risk of quitting due to dissatisfaction with customer abuse.

Staff safety remains a concern, as 66% of retail managers reported customer abuse had affected their team’s well-being within the past year.

Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of the Retail Trust, said: “Thoughtless, unkind and aggressive behaviour is having a significant impact on the well-being of British retail workers and could lead to many dropping out of the workforce, so it’s clear we need to take action now.

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“Retail leaders we spoke to for the Retail Trust’s health of retail report told us their staff face a wide range of abuse, from disrespectful signs of impatience and rude comments to unacceptable outbursts, violent assaults and theft.”

He added: “The new standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker should lead to much-needed shifts in how criminal behaviour is handled by the police, but it will do little to lessen the impact of what I’ve heard described as ‘everyday abuse’, such as rudeness and hostility. We believe that shop workers and delivery drivers must be shown more respect and that training to help them deal with all forms of abuse should now be mandatory.”

Additionally, over 11% said they felt powerless when supporting retail workers, and close to half (43%) said training and company policies were helping.

Four in five retail leaders have updated their approach and brought in new ways for staff to report incidents, and others are reviewing their rules.