Lobbyists and trade unions have spoken out about the psychological effects that repetitive tunes can have on staff, who have no choice but to listen to it, and asked that the Government investigate the situation.
UK Noise Association national co-ordinator Val Weedon said: 'The same songs over and over. It's no different to being tortured, the body will react in the same way.
'We are asking the Government to investigate this particular area and to look at whether it is something that the health and safety executive could take on board.'
Shop workers union Usdaw said it is ready to take action on the issue. Usdaw spokesman Paul Clarke said: 'It's an issue that has been brought to our attention. What we're saying to managers is if Christmas carols are being played on the same CD repeatedly, that could create an unhealthy working environment for people.'
Pinsent Masons employment lawyer Catherine Barker said: 'If the incessant Christmas music does in fact make an employee ill, they may try to bring a claim in the civil courts for personal injury.'
Life peer Lord Beaumont proposed a Bill earlier this year to outlaw piped music in public places, believing it could cause real damage.
Beaumont said: 'It would drive me to murder. I definitely think that people who work in shops should have certain rights not to have music permanently pumped into them.'
In the Czech Republic, shop workers staged a walk out in protest at Christmas music being played incessantly, while members of Austrian shop workers' union GPA mounted a campaign against the music in 2003.
GPA spokesman Gottfried Rieser said: 'Today we visited the shops and there were no Christmas songs, no carols. I'm very proud about it.'
Weedon said: 'All we are asking for is that the staff be given some opportunity to escape, maybe the music should be switched off at certain times, it's not even regulated now.'
No comments yet