Retail Workers Seek Solutions to Combat Verbal Abuse During Holidays

As the holiday shopping season approaches, retail workers in Australia are facing increasing levels of customer verbal abuse. A union survey conducted in 2023 revealed that approximately 87% of over 4,600 frontline workers reported experiencing such abuse, a statistic that has remained constant since 2016. Alarmingly, the frequency of these incidents has grown; in 2023, 76% of respondents indicated they encountered verbal abuse on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis—up from 54% just two years prior.

In response to this troubling trend, numerous retail groups launched a national campaign on November 6, 2025, titled “Be Kind in Retail.” This initiative aims to encourage shoppers to treat retail workers with compassion during the busy Christmas season. Despite significant investments by retailers in security measures, including body-worn cameras, a cost-effective solution has emerged that could help mitigate customer aggression: the use of personal “under badges.”

Personal Identification Badges Offer a Simple Solution

The “No One Deserves a Serve” campaign, initiated by the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association (SDA) in late 2017, introduced under badges to retail staff beginning in early 2020. These adhesive plastic badges can be affixed below existing name tags and share brief personal messages like “I’m a mother” or “I’m a son.” Initially distributed to 500,000 workers, this initiative was aimed at fostering empathy and humanizing the retail experience.

In a recent three-part study, researchers sought to examine the effectiveness of these badges in reducing customer abuse. The study included interviews with 17 supermarket workers who had participated in the campaign. While some expressed discomfort with the personal nature of the messages, many reported that the badges did help alleviate instances of verbal abuse and opened up avenues for conversation. One supermarket worker recounted a moment when a customer, initially hostile, became more approachable upon learning that she was a mother.

Research Findings Highlight the Impact of Humanization

The study also involved two experimental setups with 940 customers. In the first experiment, respondents evaluated hypothetical scenarios of poor service while viewing images of fictional retail workers. Some workers displayed only their name badges, while others featured under badges with personal information. Results showed that customers were statistically less likely to express verbal aggression towards those wearing the personal identifiers.

In a subsequent experiment, the under badges were rephrased to read “I’m a local,” further confirming that any form of self-disclosure reduces the likelihood of customer verbal abuse. This aligns with social theories that suggest sharing personal information enhances empathy and respect in interpersonal interactions.

The research indicates that by humanizing retail workers, customers begin to see them as individuals rather than mere extensions of a retail brand. This shift can significantly alter the dynamics of customer interactions, moving towards more respectful exchanges.

Despite the promising results of the under badge campaign, the prevalence of these badges in stores has declined over the past five years. The SDA continues to distribute these badges, and they remain available for businesses of all sizes. A recent cost analysis found that producing these badges could be as low as 17 cents each for larger orders, making it a feasible option for retailers aiming to improve worker safety and customer relations.

As the holiday rush intensifies, the call for greater empathy and kindness towards retail workers is more crucial than ever. Implementing low-cost solutions like under badges could serve as a meaningful step toward creating a safer and more respectful shopping environment.