Retail workers shop the worst in-store anthems

Britney Spears tops the list of the most annoying musical artists played on the UK high street.

British retail workers are being driven to distraction by the songs that provide the soundtrack to their working lives, according to new research by leading retail recruitment website Retailchoice.com. Three quarters of shop staff admit to being irritated by in-store music.

A staggering 31 per cent of shop workers have to endure the same album between six and 20 times a week, with 16 per cent hearing the same record more than 20 times during the course of a week. Those working in the fashion and footwear retail sectors suffer the most from repetitive record syndrome. The most overplayed records on the high street come courtesy of:

1. Britney Spears
2. Usher
3. Kylie Minogue
4. 50 Cent
5. Robbie Williams
6. Akon
7. Beyonc
8. Blue
= 9. Justin Timberlake
= 9. Michael Jackson

And itís not just the staff whose nerves are being tested. Forty percent of shop workers receive complaints from customers about the maddening music played as they part with their hard earned cash.

Christmas is the most testing time for the ears of the nationís retail workers. íJingle Bellsí tops the list of the most hated seasonal songs, with Sladeís íMerry Christmas Everyoneí and íWhite Christmasí by Bing Crosby also annoying retail staff. And it seems Christmas is coming earlier every year, with 61 per cent of employers recruiting their Christmas staff before the end of September. Companies including Tiffany and WHSmith are already advertising their seasonal vacancies on the Christmas Zone at www.retailchoice.com.

Overall, pop music is still top of the shopís play list, with the majority of stores opting for this genre. Forty two percent of those polled believe that pop music in shops actually encourages shoppers to buy more. However when it comes to motivating shoppers to part with their cash, reggae music fares the worst. Just five per cent of shop staff notice an increase in spending when reggae is playing.

Greg Baines, marketing manager for retailchoice.com commented: Music is an essential part of the retail experience, and can help to make or break the ambiance for both staff and customers. In the words of Britney Spears, music can be Toxic to the shopping process if stores arenít careful. We would recommend that retailers who overplay records from our shop flop list should think again and consult employees to achieve a varied play list that is well received by both shoppers and staff.