Co-op workers say lone shifts put safety at risk amid shoplifting surge

Co-op employees have raised serious safety concerns over the supermarket’s increasing use of lone working in stores, warning that staffing levels are leaving workers vulnerable to threats and abuse.

Despite a surge in shoplifting incidents, staff report being left alone to handle multiple tasks including packing online orders, managing self-checkouts, tills, and floor duties.

According to the Guardian, in some smaller outlets, lone working is becoming the norm, while in larger stores employees can be isolated when colleagues take breaks or manage deliveries.

The issue has come into sharper focus as Co-op expands its Project Lunar scheme, which was trialled last year in five stores and involves having only one member of staff on duty in quieter locations. The rollout will extend to 60 branches this year.

This comes in addition to existing “one-on-one” staffing models in many stores, where one worker handles shelf stocking or stockroom tasks while another runs the till, sometimes leaving only a single public-facing employee on site. The retailer has not confirmed the exact number of stores using these practices.

Workers have shared experiences of abuse from shoplifters. One staff member in south London recounted being threatened with violence, including threats with Stanley knives and screwdrivers. “Shoplifters threaten to stab staff or, as I was told by one disgusting female, that she would smash my face in,” she told the Guardian.

Another employee described feeling “very unsafe” working in pairs, as breaks could leave one person alone on the shop floor. “You can be alone on the shop floor when one of you goes for a break and I always feel scared,” she said.

Staff stress that higher floor staffing acts as a crucial deterrent to theft and abuse.

“The more people on the shop floor, the greater the deterrent for shoplifters and abusive members of the public,” one worker said, speaking to campaign group Organise. “We have known shoplifters that will look in the door to see what and how many staff are on duty.”

The safety concerns are echoed by shoppers, with over 3,000 signing a petition urging Co-op to end lone working.

One customer said: “Working conditions at my local Co-op are not good, on many occasions I have seen only one staff member on the shop floor, manning the till and stacking shelves.”

Campaigner Honor Barber, whose survey of Co-op workers found more than 80% felt unsafe due to understaffing, criticised the retailer’s approach.

“The Co-op reported a 35% jump in underlying profit to £131m in April, with revenue steady at £11.3bn in 2024. Meanwhile, workers are being stretched to breaking point. Co-op are prioritising profit over staff and customer safety,” Barber said.

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