Woolworths NZ calls for respect from customers amid rising retail crime

Ahead of the busy holiday season, Woolworths New Zealand is launching a new campaign that is aimed at protecting staff amid a “significant rise” in cases of retail abuse.

The campaign seeks to ask respect and courtesy from customers ahead of a “busy and stressful time” this holiday season, according to Spencer Sonn, Woolworths NZ managing director.

“New Zealanders are going to see and hear us asking for respect. We know it can be a busy and stressful time of year, but there’s no excuse for taking it out on our team,” Sonn said in a statement.

The campaign will include in-store radio announcements, posters, and a week-long programme that will show gratitude to customers who treat employees well.

Sonn added their stores will also award one gift card every day this week to a local customer who will demonstrate acts of kindness and generosity to retail staff.

“This is our small way of saying thanks and paying it forward,” Sonn said.

Retail crime

The campaign comes as New Zealand’s retail industry sees an increasing number of cases of abuse against employees.

A survey from Retail NZ released in October revealed that 92% of retailers have experienced some form of retail crime in the past 12 months, with reported higher risks of physical injuries and death.

The situation has severely impacted the mental health of employees and hurt the ability of retailers to attract new staff, according to Retail NZ.

At Woolworths NZ, Sonn said the last few years have seen a “significant rise in the number of people” who come to their stores and act aggressively and violently.

“In the last week alone, we’ve had instances of our team being spat at, called names and even shoved - all while simply trying to do their jobs,” Sonn said.

Protecting retail staff

To ensure the safety of retail employees, Woolworths NZ previously announced it is investing $45 million over the next three years, which will add further security measures to stores and upskill team members in handling conflict.

So far, stores of Woolworths NZ that had multiple break-and-enter incidents now have fog cannons which can be activated in case offenders enter the establishment.

Employees at 10 Woolworths NZ stores are also equipped with body-worn cameras to act as deterrent to retail crime.

“New Zealanders can expect to see further changes in their local area in the coming months and years,” Sonn said in another statement. “We also know our strong relationships with both local and national Police, community groups and other retailers are critical - and we’re continuing to further build these.”

Woolworths Australia also recently revealed they are investing in the protection of retail staff amid growing cases of abuse against employees.