Staff at a UK supermarket have shared that they feel at risk due to having to work alone on the shop floor.

Those who work at the Co-op report being left alone to pack online orders and manage self-checkouts and tills in some small stores.

In larger outlets, staff say they can be left in the same position when a colleague takes a break or is managing deliveries.

Fears have been exacerbated due to the rollout of Project Lunar, which is a plan to introduce lone working with only one person on duty in quieter stores.

The scheme, which was trialled in five locations last year, is being expanded to a total of 60 branches, The Guardian reports.

This is in addition to the “one-on-one” operations at many other stores, where one staff member is carrying out duties like shelf stacking and another is on the till.

"Shoplifters threaten to stab staff"

The concern from Co-op staff comes from potentially having to deal with shoplifters alone in these scenarios.

A staff member at a south London Co-op store shared: “Shoplifters threaten to stab staff or, as I was told by one disgusting female, that she would smash my face in."

Another worker said she felt “very unsafe” when working in a two-person team, with one person filling shelves and another on the till.

“You can be alone on the shop floor when one of you goes for a break and I always feel scared,” she said.

“The more people on the shop floor, the greater the deterrent for shoplifters and abusive members of the public,” another member of Co-op staff added.

“We have known shoplifters that will look in the door to see what and how many staff are on duty.”

More than 3,000 shoppers have also backed a campaign calling on the Co-op to ditch lone working, saying they have witnessed staff struggling to cope.

Honor Barber, a campaigner at the workers' network, Organise, said: “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.”

A Co-op spokesperson said: “Co-op is committed to serving and supporting our communities, providing good value prices, excellent promotions and quality products for all of our members and customers.

Recommended reading:

“Alongside a rewarding and safe working environment for our colleagues across all our stores. Co-op has been at the forefront of campaigning for a crackdown on retail crime, investing in the very latest security measures, with the safety and wellbeing of all colleagues as our clear priority.”

It said that more than 90% of the overall hours worked by its staff were not one-on-one.

The retail group added that its Project Lunar stores were set up so workers would not be left alone during deliveries and at busier times of day such as opening and closing times.