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.
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“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.