Monday, 16 December 2024: Woolworths Group is once again calling for respect and courtesy from customers this holiday season as team members continue to be subject to increased levels of verbal abuse and physical aggression in stores.

Since July this year, more than 2100 incidents of violence and abuse have been reported across our Australian Woolworths Supermarkets, Metro and BIG W store networks - equating to an average of 477 incidents a month. This is a rise of 20 per cent compared to the same time last year (and follows a 50 per cent increase in 2023 from 2022).

To enhance the focus on team member safety and wellbeing, Woolworths Group established a dedicated Acts of Violence and Aggression Prevention team last year. Since its inception, the team has been equipping team members with as many tools as possible for difficult situations that arise in store, while also aiming to bring awareness across the industry.

Woolworths has also made use of Workplace Protection Orders (WPO), available in the ACT, which aim to prohibit a high harm offender, via a court order, from entering our stores and impacting our teams. The South Australian Government plans to introduce similar legislation and we hope to see other jurisdictions do the same.

Woolworths Group Head of Acts of Violence and Aggression Prevention, Sarah Faorlin, said it was confronting that team members continue to be treated this way while simply trying their best to do their job.

“While the majority of our customers do the right thing and always treat our team with respect, we have continued to see an uptick in the number of people walking through our doors who verbally or physically harm our team,” Ms Faorlin said.

“Our teams are not only physically affected by these incidents, but also psychologically where they are reminded of the frightening incident every time they go to their workplace.

“Team members are punched, spat on and have their life threatened which is completely unacceptable behaviour in society, let alone in our stores.

“Even customer-on-customer violence occurs. Two weeks ago, one of our Metro stores in Victoria was the scene of an incident where a customer was attacked by five offenders, one armed with a large knife.

“Christmas is just a couple of weeks away and we know that it can feel a little more stressful at this time of year. Stores will be busy, and our team is excited to help customers get ready to celebrate, all we ask is that they are treated with the respect they deserve.”

Alongside the WPOs - more than 350 stores have been given additional tools including::

• Team Safety cameras;
• Workforce Resilience training;
• Two-way headsets;
• Personal Safety alarms;
• De-ranging of knives;
• Virtual Reality de-escalation and armed offender training

Bernie Smith, NSW Secretary of the SDA -  the union for retail workers -  welcomed the call for respect this Christmas.

“Everybody deserves to feel safe in Australian shopping centres. Sadly, retail workers do not with 88 percent of workers being subjected to abuse including physical violence, with 1 in 10 reporting being spat on. Enough is enough, this must change. Everyone has a right to feel safe at work.

“There are now serious consequences for offenders who abuse retail workers including increased jail time. Don’t ruin our members' Christmas with bad behaviour in shops – don’t ruin your life with a bad decision.

“Christmas is meant to be a time of peace and goodwill to all. We ask customers to stop, reflect and do the right thing in shops this Christmas.  Be kind to retail workers this Christmas, it’s the best Christmas present you can give them.”

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For further information please contact media@woolworths.com.au