Source: Workers First Union
Retail workers in understaffed stores are more than twice as likely to have experienced a safety incident as those in well-staffed stores, a major new survey of 2,403 retail workers has found.
The survey, released today by Workers First Union and one of the largest of retail workers conducted in Aotearoa, points to a single underlying cause running through nearly every finding: understaffing. Workers in stores that are always understaffed reported a safety incident at more than twice the rate of those in well-staffed stores (70% vs 30%) and were nearly five times less likely to always feel safe at work (11% vs 52%).
More broadly, 59% of all respondents have experienced customer abuse or harassment in the last two years, and only 21% say they always feel safe at work.
Asked what single measure would most improve their safety, the top answer by far was simply more staff (38%) – ranking well ahead of cameras, guards, or any other specific security measure.
“Understaffing is the common driver of violence and abuse of retail workers, of feeling unsafe in stores, and of workers wanting to quit their retail jobs,” said Rudd Hughes, Workers First Deputy Secretary.
“What this shows is that understaffing is a health and safety issue and not some kind of smart business decision for an employer who’s looking to cut costs.”
“Employers must be held accountable for understaffing their stores and putting workers’ safety at risk to save money.”
Steve Day, a Nelson retail worker, was violently assaulted by a stranger in January 2025 while stocking shelves in a supermarket. His attacker, who the judge later described as committing an act of “persistent violence”, was sentenced to prison, and Mr Day said he still struggles with what happened.
“It was sheer luck for me that our night-fill staff were nearby, including one who happened to be a pub bouncer – he stepped in, or it could have been even worse,” said Mr Day.
“We were regular 111 callers for violent or disorderly customers. With limited Police resources to dispatch, you need good staffing levels to protect retail workers.”
“We don’t even need to intervene – just having more staff present and watching can make it much less likely that people kick off in the store.”
“Colleagues leave their jobs because of understaffing. It makes the job more stressful as well as increasing the amount of conflict and confrontation with customers.”
Workers First Union is calling on retailers to treat safe staffing levels as a health and safety issue, not a discretionary cost. Mr Hughes suggested several solutions to the persistent problem of dangerous staffing levels and abuse and violence against retail workers:
- Increased prosecutions of employers who risk staff safety by perpetually understaffing stores.
- Increased powers for workers to strike on health and safety grounds (described in more detail in Workers First’s ‘Take the Power Back’ paper).
- Increased responsibility and scope for Worksafe to investigate understaffing as a health and safety issue in workplaces.
- Requiring employers to provide additional EAP and medical costs for retail workers who experience assault and abuse in their workplace.
Mr Hughes said a sectoral bargaining mechanism like the Fair Pay Agreement (FPA) framework, was also key to setting minimum expectations and standards across the industry.
“Retail workers are not adequately paid for the risks they have to shoulder in stores,” said Mr Hughes.
“We depend on them as providers of an essential service, but the vast majority do not earn a living wage and are living week-to-week during a cost-of-living crisis. This has to change.”
“Anyone can be caught in the wrong place at the wrong time – but that should never be someone’s workplace.”
The survey also found:
- 43% of workers have been verbally abused or assaulted by a customer in the last two years, and 27% have had to confront a shoplifter.
- Only 57% of workers who experienced a safety incident reported it to their employer, and of those who did, only 49% were satisfied with how it was handled.
- Among workers who experienced a safety-related problem, 61% felt stressed or anxious as a result, and 35% said they dreaded coming to work.
- 61% of respondents said things had gotten worse for retail workers over the last year, and 53% expect things to get worse again over the next year.
The full report, Understaffed and Under Threat: Retail Staff Safety Survey 2026, is available at: https://workersfirst.nz/retail-staffing-2026