A surge in retail crime across Victoria has prompted major retailers to install anti-theft security gates, but the move is drawing growing concern from shoppers who say the barriers are causing injuries, accessibility issues and safety risks.
In stores across Casey and Cardinia, the gates have been introduced in response to escalating crime, ranging from shoplifting to violent incidents involving weapons.
Retail industry representatives say the measures are necessary to protect workers and customers.
Auror Senior Director of Trust and Safety Nick McDonnell said data shows retail crime is becoming more organised and increasingly violent, with frontline workers and customers most affected.
“What’s confronting is, about one in four retail crime events last year involved some form of violence, intimidation, threats, physical or verbal abuse,” he said.
“Focusing on repeat offenders causing the majority of the high-volume, high-harm offences is critical – and you can only do that if you have visibility to the total problem.”
While retailers stress safety, the gates have sparked criticism over their impact on people with disabilities and those with limited mobility.
Casey elderly residents Rhonda Fuller and Alicia Appleby say they have both been injured multiple times across Kmart, Coles and Woolworths.
“I walk with the walker and I’m very slow. I have been hurt and hit by these many times, they closed before I got through,” Ms Fuller said.
“I’m all for reducing the amount of people stealing from supermarkets, however what I’m not happy about is there is no consideration for those of us who are disabled. I have a very large wheelchair that has trouble getting through the gates most places,” Ms Appleby said.
Last week, Ms Fuller witnessed a woman in a wheelchair unable to pass through an anti-theft gate at Coles, after staff said they could not open it wider. The customer was forced to exit through the entrance gate instead.
Other shoppers also raised concerns about emergency situations, including evacuations during fires or power outages.
“It’s creating major choke points and treating customers like prisoners. Imagine the stampede during an evacuation,” one shopper said.
Christine Joy, Outlook’s Executive for Community Services urged retailers to balance security with accessibility.
“Outlook Australia understands the genuine challenges retailers face in responding to shoplifting and theft, and the need to keep staff and customers safe,” she said.
“However, it is critical that security measures do not come at the expense of accessibility, dignity, or safety for people with disability, older people, or those with limited mobility.
“Inclusive design must be a priority. Retail environments should be welcoming and usable for everyone and should be developed through an inclusive co-design process.”
Coles Spokesperson reassured customers that their smart gate technology is designed and tested to meet global and Australian standards.
“The technology has sensors and inbuilt detectors to ensure the gates open for customers after their transaction is completed, and our team is always available to manually open the gates for any customers who were just browsing,” spokesperson said.
“Safety is always our priority, and we take all concerns seriously – we encourage customers to share their feedback with us directly so we can investigate and work with the team on how we can improve their experience in our stores.”
Coles General Manager Health, Safety and Wellbeing, Angela Konstantopoulos said despite significant investments in advanced safety technologies and initiatives, the retail industry continues to see unacceptable levels of abuse and threatening behaviour toward their staff.
“Public safety is a shared responsibility, and by combining exceptional policing, innovative policymaking, a united retail sector, and technology, we can address this issue at scale,” Mr McDonnell added.
Gazette is awaiting comments from FRV.
