Safe to Serve aims to stop violence and crime in liquor retail

Retail Drinks Australia (Retail Drinks) is ensuring liquor stores across the country are Safe to Serve this festive season, launching a national initiative to better protect its 75,000-strong workforce.

Nearly a quarter (24 per cent) of all robberies in Australia occur within the retail industry, with more than half of these (54 per cent) armed robberies. Liquor is the most frequently reported stolen item, accounting for as high as 37 per cent of all retail theft incidents in some jurisdictions.

Retail workers are also contending with rising levels of violence. Assaults within the retail industry have nearly doubled in recent years, increasing by 47 per cent.

To ensure this pattern doesn’t continue, Retail Drinks has launched the Safe to Serve initiative today, bringing together a coalition of leading industry voices, businesses, and government entities to improve safety at retail liquor outlets through education, awareness, and advocacy.

Retail Drinks Chief Executive Officer Michael Waters said the initiative is about protecting both workers and customers to ensure liquor stores remain safe, especially during the busy Christmas and summer periods.

“We know criminals are increasingly targeting our liquor stores, meaning the staff in our industry are constantly at risk. It’s a challenge we can no longer ignore, which is why we are launching Safe to Serve,” said Waters.

“Christmas is one of our busiest periods, and that brings an increased risk of violence and abuse for our staff.”

“Robberies, violence and assault can have a lasting impact on anyone, including a traumatic effect on bystanders and witnesses, which is why Safe to Serve is targeted at keeping not only our staff but our customers safe.”

“We look forward to working closely with our members, partners, and stakeholders to make our vision of a safer and more responsible retail liquor industry a reality.”

As part of the initiative, Retail Drinks has developed an online toolkit that will be made available to liquor stores across the country.

This comprehensive resource includes information on essential topics like working with local police and improving security measures and will teach staff within the industry how to apply de-escalation principles.

The toolkit also contains in-store posters and advertising materials for liquor store owners to display, encouraging responsible behaviour among customers and staff.

“Staff working within the retail liquor industry experience a heightened risk of violence and assault due to our industry’s late operating hours, cash handling and the influence of alcohol,” said Waters.

“We want to do everything we can to ensure our staff are supported, and this toolkit is just one of the ways we can help all staff and customers become aware of the risks within the industry.”

The Safe to Serve initiative has been developed with the support of key stakeholders, including Australia Post, Coles Liquor, Endeavour Group, Metcash, NSW Police, Red Bottle, Redfern Retail Risk, Uber, and Vantage Group.

Retailers and industry leaders are throwing weight behind this important initiative.

“No one should ever feel unsafe at work. Sadly, those working in retail liquor stores experience more abuse and violence than most,” said Gavin Saunders, Chief Executive Officer, Liquor Marketing Group.

“We stand by and support Retail Drinks’ Safe to Serve initiative and will be promoting it across all our member stores, ensuring staff are trained and equipped with the resources they need to ensure a safe retail environment.

Alison McCallum, Head of Operation Risk and Protection, Endeavour Group, said as Australia’s largest retail drinks network, they see every day the impact retail crime has on their team.

“No one deserves to be threatened or abused, especially at Christmas time,” McCallum emphasised.

“At Endeavour Group, the safety of our staff is our number one priority, so we’re really proud to put our full support behind the Safe to Serve initiative.”

Andrew Sayers - National Security and Profit Protection Manager, Coles Liquor, agreed saying

“Coles Liquor is proud to be a member of the Safe to Serve initiative, which, in collaboration with other liquor retailers, is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for our team members, customers and the community”.