Australia’s retailers are calling for urgent reforms to workplace safety laws after a dangerous surge in violence incidents.

Woolworths released footage on Saturday of its own supermarket workers being threatened by a number of customers with knives.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Retail workers under attack.

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There were more than 6000 violent incidents reported in Woolworths supermarkets last year, a grim 26 per cent increase since 2023.

“The rise in aggression towards our team members, and all retail workers, is simply unacceptable. The reports and footage that I see each day are often shocking,” Woolworths Group CEO Amanda Bardwell said.

“Our team members are part of the fabric of their communities — neighbours or friends and family. While most of our customers treat them with the respect they deserve, no one should have to face hostility, physical threats or acts of violence at work.

“This isn’t a challenge we can solve alone, and our engagement with police and state governments is critical. We are strongly advocating for new Workplace Protection Order (WPO) laws to protect retail workers.”

The highest volume of instore violence at Woolworths occurred in Victoria — where more than half of all reports were made — as well NSW, and QLD.

Footage of Woolworths workers being threatened by customers with knives has surfaced amid retailer calls for tougher workplace safety laws. Credit: Sunrise

But the Fresh Food People are not the only ones facing instore violence.

The Australian Retail Association — which represents Coles, Bunnings and Myer, alongside other Australian retailers both big and small — said that Australian retailers recorded a 66 per cent year-on-year increase in retail crime involving weapons.

ARA CEO said in a letter to Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, that the advocacy group wants WPO legislation to allow courts “to issue enforceable orders restricting high harm repeat offenders from engaging in violence, threats, or harassment in and around retail workplaces.”

“Such measures are already delivering safer workplaces, as demonstrated in the Australian Capital Territory.”

The letter also called for online crime reporting platforms for non-urgent incidents to reduce under-reporting.

There were more than 6000 violent incidents reported in Woolworths supermarkets last year. Credit: Sunrise

Retail Drinks Australia (RDA), the peak industry body for packaged liquor retailers including Dan Murphy’s and Celebrations, said their members are also facing increasing levels of violence.

Almost half of all liquor store workers experience at least one security incident a week, according to the Retail Liquor Industry Safety & Security Report published by RDA in May.

In the RDA survey of over 1000 liquor store owners, staff, and customers, 11 per cent of customers said they had witnessed an incident themselves, with 40 per cent of customers revealing they have changed their shopping behaviour out of fear for their safety.

RDA CEO Michael Waters said in May that criminals are “becoming more brazen and increasingly turning to aggression or violence”.

“We can see from survey respondents that most are never reported to the police, meaning the official statistics from governments across the country only tell a fraction of the story, meaning existing government action is falling short.”