Customer abuse and violence in retail and fast food outlets have been on the rise, while law enforcement has not kept up, according to the Shop, Distributive & Allied Employees’ Association (SDA).

A nationwide survey of shoppers, conducted by Fifty Acres and YouGov for the SDA, found that 71 per cent have personally experienced or witnessed abuse directed at retail or fast food workers.

Among them, 60 per cent have seen verbal abuse, 28 per cent have seen physical aggression, 20 per cent have seen sexual harassment, and 13 per cent have seen threats involving a weapon.

According to the research, abuse is concentrated in major supermarkets (45 per cent) and shopping centres (40 per cent), roughly twice the rate of other retail settings.

In response to campaigning by the SDA, Workplace Protection Orders (WPOs) are being introduced in all states except Queensland and Tasmania. Under the scheme, repeat offenders can be barred from retail premises for up to 12 months. 

Data from Woolworths shows that offences had dropped 23 per cent across its Canberra stores after imposing WPOs on 13 “high harm” offenders in the ACT.

“The evidence is in. Workplace Protection Orders work. They protect shoppers and frontline retail workers alike from repeat offenders,” said Gerard Dwyer, national secretary of the SDA.

“They work for customers, workers, proprietors and police. States that have failed to act are letting down the law-abiding citizens of their communities,” Dwyer added.