As if tough trading conditions aren’t enough, Victoria’s retailers are copping it from every angle. New figures show shoplifting and violence against retail staff have hit record highs, leaving businesses and workers feeling under siege.

A crime every five minutes

Fresh data from the Crime Statistics Agency shows retail crime offences in Victoria jumped 20 per cent in the year to June 2025, climbing from 82,748 to a jaw-dropping 99,114 incidents. That makes retail the third-most common setting for crime in the state, behind private homes and the streets.

Theft is driving much of the spike. Shoplifting offences alone surged 26 per cent, with 36,254 reported incidents. Assaults in retail settings also rose by 21 per cent. That means a retail crime every five minutes and around a dozen assaults a day.

Australian Retailers Association (ARA) CEO Chris Rodwell says it’s exactly what frontline workers have been reporting for years.

“Today’s figures are grim and confirm Victoria’s retail crime crisis is only getting worse,” Rodwell said. “We’re seeing a criminal offence at least once every five minutes in a retail setting, an assault every couple of hours and cases of aggravated robbery and weapon-related offences daily or more.”

Violence a big part of the picture

Retail workers are increasingly facing not just grab-and-run theft but aggression, intimidation and outright violence. Retailers speak of knives and even hammers being brandished, while staff are left traumatised and businesses out of pocket.

Rodwell says the official figures don’t even capture the full picture.

“While this reported data is alarming, the sad reality is, it underestimates the true figure, as so much retail crime still goes unreported. The toll this is having on our retail workers is unacceptable,” he said.

The National Retail Association (NRA) has echoed those concerns, saying the current situation is a daily reality for many small operators who can least afford the losses.

Why Victoria is lagging behind

So why is Victoria being singled out? According to the ARA, it’s because the state is the only one in the country without strict, proactive legislation to protect retail workers. Other states have already moved on to reforms that increase police powers and penalties for offenders.

“Without tougher penalties and stronger police powers to apprehend offenders, incidents will continue to escalate,” Rodwell said.

The ARA and NRA want the Victorian Government to act urgently with a package of reforms, including:

• A dedicated Police Taskforce for Retail Crime
• Workplace Protection Orders to safeguard staff
• Streamlined online reporting for retailers
• Stronger search powers through laws similar to Queensland’s “Jack’s Law”

These kinds of measures, they argue, are already making a difference elsewhere in Australia.

The hidden cost at the checkout

Beyond the immediate safety risks, the financial toll is staggering. Rodwell estimates the national retail crime bill runs to more than $9 billion a year, and that cost eventually shows up in higher prices at the checkout.

“Retail crime is a top risk for retailers, whether it relates to the safety of people, operational impacts or financial costs,” he said. “The collective annual bill runs at more than $9 billion – an unacceptable burden for retailers and a cost which finds its way to the higher prices at the checkout.”

For small business owners, already juggling the pressure of rising business costs, that’s a bitter pill to swallow. Every stolen basket of groceries or pair of trainers isn’t just a line in a police report; it’s money straight out of the tills of local businesses.

A call for national action

The ARA isn’t just pushing the Victorian government to act. It wants a nationally consistent response. Rodwell is calling on the Federal Government to coordinate the states, warning that without a unified approach, offenders will continue to exploit the gaps.

“We’ve seen a number of strong state-based responses to the retail crime crisis in some parts of the country. It’s critical the Victoria Government follows suit. We also need the Federal Government to coordinate the states to ensure a nationally consistent response,” he said.

Shops under siege

For many Victorians, these statistics confirm what they’ve been seeing with their own eyes: more security tags, more bag checks, more anxious shop assistants. Some retailers are cutting trading hours, while others are investing in expensive security just to keep the doors open.

As one Melbourne café owner told Business Builders earlier this year: “You don’t expect to be dealing with people waving knives when you just want to sell a few coffees. It’s out of control.”

The message from retail leaders is blunt: Victoria can’t afford to drag its heels any longer. Without stronger protections and a clear plan of action, the state’s shopkeepers and their staff will continue to pay the price.

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