A Woolworths supermarket in an upmarket Auckland suburb has shortened its trading hours with the aim of reducing “antisocial behaviour”. 

Posters were erected outside Woolworths Pt Chevalier last week breaking the news to customers. 

“After a review of our current opening hours, we found that these new hours are better and safer for when our customers shop with us and for our team,” the poster read. 

The new hours of 8am to 8pm, seven days a week, came into effect on October 14. 

When the Herald called the store on Tuesday night, an employee said their hours used to be 7am-9pm, but were changed to 8am-9pm before now being changed again. 

“Upper management agreed it would be safer for the store. That’s how they explained it to staff,” the employee said. 

A Woolworths New Zealand spokesperson told the Herald it had reviewed trading hours at its Pt Chevalier store in consultation with “our team and union”. 

“Following this review we have shortened trading hours with an aim of reducing the potential for antisocial behaviour.” 

The spokesperson said Woolworths had received positive feedback from its team on the change and had “closely monitored” customer comments, none of which had yet been negative. 

“Generally speaking, we review trading hours in our stores from time to time, to ensure our hours meet the needs of the community and reflect the shopping patterns of local customers.” 

The spokesperson said no other Woolworths supermarket had altered its hours this month. 

The change comes after Woolworths shared new data in July showing assaults in its stores were significantly up on the previous year, with team members being threatened and abused daily in broad daylight, particularly by repeat offenders. 

Retail crime, such as this alleged bashing of a security guard by two shoplifters, is a big concern to a union representing supermarket staff. Photo / Foodstuffs 

The data, released on July 10, said there had been 925 acts of violence and aggression in the last 12 months - a 9% increase on the 848 in the previous year. 

Physical assaults had a particularly sizeable increase, with a 50% jump to 329 incidents in the last 12 months, compared to 219 in the previous year. 

Woolworths New Zealand’s director of stores, Jason Stockhill, said what they were seeing from offenders coming into stores was “unacceptable” and while new security measures were having a positive effect, more needed to be done. 

“Our team is being threatened and hurt in broad daylight, and, despite offenders being arrested and going through the justice system, they’re coming back and doing it again. We’ve been pleased to see the focus on law and order and look forward to working with the Government further this quarter,” Stockhill said in July. 

“Our responsibility is to keep our team and customers safe in our stores, and we’re investing in a range of security measures to help with that, but we can’t do it alone. We need continued collaborative action across government, agency and industry.” 

Woolworths introduced team safety cameras in its 191 stores in April. Photo / Supplied 

Woolworths introduced a range of security and safety measures into its stores as part of its $45-million, three-year investment programme. This included team safety cameras in all stores, trolley lock systems, fog cannons, double-entry gates and anti-sweep shelving. 

Woolworths said further security measures were being considered, including duress alarms for team members working in isolated locations. 

In November last year, Woolworths New Zealand managing director Spencer Sonn said every measure implemented complies with New Zealand law, including privacy requirements. 

In some of the worst thefts, offenders were accused of stealing up to $40,000 worth of groceries in just two months. 

Benjamin Plummer is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He has worked for the Herald since 2022.