Industry groups have launched the ‘Be Kind in Retail’ campaign ahead of the Christmas season, reminding customers to be kind to retail workers.

The bodies are the Shopping Centre Council of Australia (SCCA), National Retail Association (NRA), Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS), Australian Security Industry Association Limited (ASIAL), Pharmacy Guild of Australia, and Building Service Contractors Association of Australia (BSCAA).

The groups joined hands to launch the campaign aimed at combatting alarming levels of abuse, violence and the use of weapons against workers, which include retail staff, security officers, and cleaners.

SCCA members are running the campaign advertisements for free across more than 300 shopping centres and 3500 digital screens.

Each industry partner will also run the campaign across its social media channels and retail outlets.

“The tragic incident at Westfield Bondi this year highlights the dangers faced by security officers, and we are asking the community to treat security officers with kindness and respect as they assist and interact with you during the busy Christmas period,” said Bryan de Caires, CEO of ASIAL.

“Any incident that causes harm to someone is simply tragic, and we are calling on the community to help stamp out needless aggression and violence against workers in retail settings,” said Angus Nardi, CEO of SCCA.