Shocking vision of bottle shop staff being slapped, held at knifepoint released for Retail Drinks Australia campaign

Shocking footage of retail workers being slapped in the face, held at knifepoint and screamed at has been released as part of a new initiative to protect liquor store employees.

In one clip, a group of men walk into a liquor store and hold a young female working and a male customer at knifepoint.

In another, a worker is slapped in the face by a customer, who then tries to take-off with a case of beers.

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Other footage released for Retail Drinks Australia's Safe to Serve campaign shows workers being pushed, intimidated and screamed at by customers.

Almost one-quarter of all robberies in Australia take place in the retail industry, with more than 50 per cent of them involving a weapon.

Assaults towards retail workers have also increased at exponential rates, increasing by 47 per cent in the last two years, according to data from the Bureau of Statistics (2022).

"We know criminals are increasingly targeting our liquor stores meaning the staff in our industry are constantly at risk," Retail Drinks chief executive Micheal Waters said.

"Christmas is one of our busiest periods and that brings an increased risk of violence and abuse for our staff....It's a challenge we can no longer ignore."

"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."

An online toolkit, including information about working with local police and improving security measures, will be made available to liquor stores across the country.

The initiative will also aim to teach retail workers how to de-escalate tense situations through de-escalation principles.

In-store posters and advertising materials encouraging customers to behave responsibly will also be issued to liquor stores across the country.