The Dairy and Business Owners' Group say startling new retail crime figures should be a wake-up call for the government that action is urgently needed.
Police data released to the group shows retail crime tripled in three years - from just over 50,000 crimes reported in 2020, to almost 149,000 crimes in 2023.
That averages out to more than 400 crimes reported a day in 2023, at locations such as dairies, service stations, supermarkets, shops, bottle stores and restaurants.
Dairy and Business Owners' Group chairman Sunny Kaushal says violence against staff is common; last year, six retailers a day were assaulted at work, and sexual assaults were occurring too.
Kaushal spoke to Charlotte Cook.
