New hours seek to protect customers, Woolworths staff
A Woolworths supermarket in Auckland has updated its trading hours in a bid to protect customers and employees from potential anti-social behaviour, according to reports.
The Woolworths branch in Pt Chevalier has shifted its trading hours to 8am to 8pm, seven days a week, starting last October 14, Stuff reported.
"After a review of our current opening hours, we found that these new hours are better and safer for when our customers shop with us and for our team," a poster from the supermarket read, as quoted by the news outlet.
According to a spokesperson from Woolworths, the change in the trading hours is the result of consultation with its team and the union.
"Following this review, we have shortened trading hours with an aim of reducing the potential for anti-social behaviour," the spokesperson told Stuff.
So far, employees have given positive feedback about the new trading hours, and no customer comments have been negative, the spokesperson added.
The shift in trading hours comes after physical assault against store employees of Woolworths NZ jumped by 50% in the previous year, according to the supermarket chain.
To protect its employees, Woolworths has invested in a $45-million three-year programme to enhance security and safety measures.
The programme includes team safety cameras across all stores, trolley lock systems, fog cannons, double-entry gates, as well as anti-sweep shelving.
"Our responsibility is to keep our team and customers safe in our stores, and we're investing in a range of security measures to help with that, but we can't do it alone," said Jason Stockill, Woolworths New Zealand's director of stores, in a previous statement.
"We need continued collaborative action across Government, agency, and industry."
