A national charity has reported a sharp increase in calls from retail staff experiencing stress, depression and financial worries.
The Retail Trust says its helpline is taking 25% more of such calls than three months ago.
The free and confidential service available to all retail employees also recorded a steep upsurge in calls requesting information about redundancy.
Retail Trust’s chief executive Nigel Rothband said: “There is no doubt that this is a difficult time for retail staff as the credit crunch continues to impact.
“Retailers are proactively implementing strategies to ensure that staff know where they can go to for support, both internally and externally.”
The helpline is available seven days a week and provides support, information and guidance to retail workers on a wide range of concerns.