A shop worker has described being left "terrified" and "scared to go to work" after a customer subjected her to racial abuse and threats against her children.
Finnola Tzagorakis, from London, shared her story at Parliament as MPs debated how to tackle abuse against customer-facing workers. She recalled a customer responding to her offer of help with shouting, swearing, racial remarks, and following her before threatening her children.
"It left my legs shaking. I was terrified," she told the BBC. "The next day I was scared to go to work. I shouldn't have to feel like that and nor should anyone else."
The debate, led by Labour MP Chris Evans, highlighted the severity of the problem. Evans, a former bookmaker and bank employee, said the retail sector faced "appalling levels of aggression, harassment, and violence," including workers being followed home or knocked unconscious with a shopping basket.
Other MPs shared examples from their constituencies, including a female worker doused in liquid and threatened with a lighter, and a shop experiencing over 100 thefts per week. The Liberal Democrat MP Adam Dance called for more rural police funding.
Under the Crime and Policing Act 2026, assaulting a retail worker in England and Wales is a standalone criminal offence punishable by up to six months in prison and an unlimited fine. Evans urged stronger police presence and extending the law to other roles like rail, hospitality, and banking.
Home Office minister Sarah Jones said the government was using AI tools, increasing police numbers, and mandating investigation of all thefts. She stressed that abuse of shop workers "will not be tolerated" and the government would "keep working until we tackle it." Regarding extending the law, she noted that the narrow scope aimed to avoid court ambiguity but would be reviewed if effective.