Achi news desk-
Cash-strapped and financially stressed Australians are increasingly turning to retail and service workers, new research has found.
The Finder survey found that 32 percent of respondents had experienced or witnessed customer hostility in the past six months.
And four per cent – the equivalent of almost 812,000 Australians – have been victimized by an abusive customer.
Finder’s consumer data showed 76% of Australians were, to some degree, stressed about their finances.
“A lot of Australian households are strapped for cash and we’re starting to see some of that strain begin to be abused,” Finder money expert Rebecca Pike said.
“When people struggle to afford groceries, that frustration can escalate further when you add in clunky self-checkout and less customer service staff.”
Pike said price increases and additional credit card fees could anger customers.
The data showed that five percent of women were abused by a customer, compared to three percent of men.
And younger workers were also more in the line of fire, with eight percent of Gen Z workers saying they had been mistreated in the past six months — double the overall figure.
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Pike said financial stress can lead to feelings of frustration and helplessness, especially if people believe they have limited control over their financial situation.
“But that’s no excuse to take it out on hard-working service workers,” she said.
“If you are in a difficult financial situation, try to take a positive step such as contacting financial advice, so that a simple trip to the shops does not turn into a police incident.”
