Data showing the current state of retail workplace safety, including worker perceptions, violence trends, loss figures, and how AI-powered monitoring helps protect employees and reduce operational risk
Retail workers face mounting safety challenges, with 35% reporting feeling unsafe at work in 2025, a sharp increase from 27% just one year earlier. This growing concern has real consequences: more than half of retail employees are considering leaving their jobs specifically because of safety issues. Traditional safety approaches that rely on manual observation and reactive incident reporting cannot keep pace with escalating threats. AI-powered site intelligence platforms now enable continuous hazard detection across retail distribution centers, stockrooms, and warehouses, transforming existing security cameras into proactive safety systems that identify risks before injuries occur.
Retailers face about $90 billion in total shrink, but the critical insight is that $66 billion of this loss is preventable through better operational controls and monitoring. This represents a massive opportunity for facilities that implement proactive safety and operational intelligence systems.
The 2026 Total Retail Loss Benchmark Report documents $706 billion in returns, of which $100 billion (14.2%) stems from preventable fraud and abuse. This statistic underscores how operational visibility directly impacts the bottom line.
Retail theft alone accounts for an estimated $47.8 billion in losses in 2025, according to projections based on industry trend data. This figure continues to climb as organized retail crime operations become more sophisticated.
Physical assaults jumped 57% compared to the prior year, marking a dramatic escalation in workplace violence. This statistic highlights the urgent need for proactive monitoring solutions.
Internal threats are also rising, with coworker aggression up 53% year-over-year. This trend requires attention to both external and internal workplace dynamics.
Theft-related violence increased 17% in 2024 versus 2023, indicating that incidents are becoming more dangerous, not just more frequent.
The Auror 2025 Retail Crime Insights Report found that 1 in 8 events include threatening behavior such as aggression, physical abuse, or weapons display.
Events involving threatening behavior rose 28% compared to the prior year, including aggression, physical abuse, and weapon displays.
Workers in grocery stores and big box retail locations most frequently reported experiencing violent incidents at 21%, the highest rate among retail segments.
Younger workers face the highest violence rates, with those ages 25-34 at 24% and 18-24 at 23%. High turnover among seasonal employees compounds training challenges.
Within the past year, 11% of retail workers experienced physical violence at work, a statistic that demands immediate action from safety leaders.
When asked about security solutions, 49% of retail workers identified video security monitoring as their top choice for workplace peace of mind. This preference aligns with the capabilities of AI-powered site intelligence platforms that transform existing cameras into proactive safety systems.
A strong majority of workers, 77%, believe theft incidents at their workplace could have been prevented with better security measures in place.
More than half of retail workers (57%) believe physical assaults could be prevented with enhanced security technology.
73% of workers believe that theft could be prevented with better security measures, underscoring the gap between current capabilities and worker expectations.
22% of workers noted their workplace has little to no security presence, a gap that AI-powered monitoring can address without requiring significant new infrastructure investment.
Despite escalating threats, 62% of workers indicated their employer had not changed security levels over the past year.
The 2025 State of Retail Safety Report found 35% of workers feel unsafe at work, a significant increase from 27% in 2024. This 30% jump in just one year signals an urgent need for enhanced safety measures.
More than half (54%) of retail workers have witnessed aggressive or harassing behaviors from customers, while 27% of workers reported feeling unsafe on the job overall.
Cashiers face the highest threat exposure, with 63% reporting verbal threats, the highest rate among retail roles.
17% of retail workers experienced five or more verbal threats in the past year, indicating that for some employees, threatening encounters are routine rather than exceptional.
52% of retail workers are likely to leave their current role within 12 months specifically due to safety concerns. This turnover cost far exceeds typical safety technology investments.
Safety concerns now impact recruitment, with 49% of managers citing their facility's safety reputation as a barrier to hiring new talent, up from 37% in 2024.
35% of retailers report labor challenges directly tied to theft-related violence, including difficulty hiring and retaining employees.
91% of retailers say violence-related theft has required them to increase employee training on workplace violence, representing a significant operational cost.
The Auror report reveals that 10% of offenders cause 68% of total retail crime event value, with an average event value of $890 for top offenders compared to a median of $51. Targeting repeat offenders through better identification delivers outsized results.
Retail crime loss increased 9% compared to the prior year, outpacing inflation and indicating that criminals are becoming more effective.
Serious events including robbery, harassment, and assault increased 35% year-over-year, a trend that demands enhanced monitoring capabilities.
31% of women reported feeling unsafe at work compared to 24% of men, indicating that safety solutions must address the needs of all workers equally.
63% of men are considering leaving their jobs due to safety concerns, compared to 39% of women, showing that turnover risk spans the entire workforce.
Younger workers experience higher rates of aggression, with 58% of Millennials and 54% of Gen Z reporting such incidents.
77% of workers say their workplaces use physical theft-prevention measures like locked cabinets and gated exits, but these measures create operational friction.
46% of workers find locked cabinets and gates more disruptive than effective, highlighting the need for less intrusive security approaches.
74% of U.S. adults say certain theft-prevention measures make them less likely to shop in-store, creating a direct revenue impact from physical security approaches.
48% of retailers implemented measures that negatively affect customer experience, including restricted product access and increased security presence.
64% of retailers report less than half of store-related theft incidents to law enforcement, indicating that internal monitoring and prevention capabilities are essential.
Platforms that facilitate collaboration drove a 93% increase in retail investigations conducted with law enforcement partners year-over-year.
80% of retailers view federal legislation as necessary to combat organized retail crime effectively, but facilities cannot wait for policy changes.
66% of retailers reported transnational organized retail crime involvement in thefts against their companies since 2024, indicating increasingly sophisticated criminal operations.
83% of retailers report that aggression and violence levels are the same or higher compared to last year, confirming that the threat environment continues to intensify.
According to a CLEAR estimate, ORC accounts for approximately $45 billion in losses, representing a substantial portion of total retail shrink.
Annual shoplifting incidents increased 93% since 2019, showing a dramatic acceleration in retail crime.
70% of retailers reported increases in phone scams conducted by ORC groups over the past 12 months, indicating expanding criminal methods.
50% of retailers reported increases in cargo or supply chain thefts by ORC groups, extending the threat beyond retail stores.
Incidents involving weapon use during theft increased 16%, raising the stakes for worker safety.
Organizations achieving the strongest safety results share common approaches:
Contact Voxel to learn how AI-powered site intelligence can help protect your retail workforce.
Retail distribution centers face multiple hazard categories including ergonomic risks from manual handling, vehicle safety incidents with forklifts and powered industrial trucks, PPE compliance gaps, and area control violations such as blocked exits and pedestrian zone intrusions. The data shows 35% feel unsafe at work, with violence and theft-related incidents increasing across all retail segments.
AI safety platforms like Voxel employ privacy-centric design with no facial recognition capabilities, workforce anonymization features including body blurring, and role-based access controls. These platforms are SOC-2 Type II certified with end-to-end encryption. 49% prefer video monitoring as their top security solution when privacy protections are in place.
Documented results from Voxel deployments show 77% injury reduction and $1.1M annual savings at a single facility. Beyond injury metrics, facilities report reduced turnover costs given that 52% of workers are considering leaving due to safety concerns, operational efficiency gains, and improved loss prevention.
Voxel deploys through existing security camera infrastructure and goes live within 48 hours. No new hardware is required, and the platform integrates with cameras already installed in retail distribution centers, stockrooms, and warehouses. This rapid deployment contrasts with traditional safety technology implementations that require months.
Leading indicators are measurable behaviors and conditions that predict future incidents before injuries occur. Examples include PPE compliance rates, near-miss frequency, ergonomic risk behaviors, and vehicle safety violations. AI-powered platforms detect these indicators in real time, enabling proactive intervention. NSG Group reduced risks 57% by monitoring leading indicators through continuous AI analysis.
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