More than 14 million people across the UK have witnessed violence or abuse against retail workers in the past year, according to new data from the British Retail Consortium.

The survey, conducted with Opinium, found that 21 per cent of the public had seen incidents such as racial or sexual abuse, physical assault or threats with weapons while shopping. While slightly down from 23 per cent last year, the figures highlight the continued prevalence of abuse in retail environments.

Shoplifting also remains widespread, with 23 per cent of respondents saying they had witnessed theft in stores over the past 12 months, broadly unchanged from 24 per cent the year before. Retailers said organised criminal gangs are increasingly targeting high-value goods that can be easily resold.

The findings come amid persistently high levels of retail crime. Separate BRC data revealed there were around 1,600 incidents of violence and abuse against retail workers every day last year, making it the second highest level on record. This included 118 incidents involving physical violence and 36 involving a weapon each day.

The issue is not confined to stores, with delivery drivers also facing rising levels of abuse, physical attacks and threats.

Retailers have spent an estimated £5bn over the past five years tackling crime, investing in measures such as CCTV, security personnel, anti-theft devices and body-worn cameras. The BRC warned these costs are adding to wider financial pressures on the sector and ultimately contributing to higher prices for consumers.

There are notable regional differences in the scale of the problem. London recorded the highest proportion of shoppers witnessing violence or abuse at 32 per cent, followed by Yorkshire and Humberside at 26 per cent and the North East at 23 per cent. The East of England reported the lowest level at 13 per cent.

A similar pattern was seen for shoplifting, with London and the West Midlands recording the highest rates at 29 per cent. Yorkshire and Humberside and the North West followed at 26 per cent, while the South East and South West reported 25 per cent and 24 per cent respectively.

The findings come as the government prepares to introduce new legislation aimed at tackling retail crime. The forthcoming Crime and Policing Bill will create a standalone offence for assaults against retail workers and remove the £200 threshold for so-called low-level theft.

Retailers have welcomed the move but warned it does not go far enough, calling for protections to be extended to all customer-facing roles, including delivery drivers.

Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the BRC, said: “For too many people, violence and abuse are now part of the shopping experience. An incident might last seconds, but for workers and bystanders, the impact can last a lifetime.

“The Crime and Policing Bill is an important step towards protecting retail workers and tackling crime. But as drafted, it falls short. Retail workers in England and Wales deserve the same protections as those in Scotland, including delivery drivers. Everyone in a customer-facing role should be protected – no exceptions.”

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