Prepare your retail business for disasters

Use our retail disaster resources to help you prevent, prepare, respond and recover from disasters or emergencies.

Being prepared can help reduce damage to premises and stock and get you back to business quickly.

Retail businesses can include online and shopfront operations:

  • selling products such as groceries, electronics and fashion
  • providing services such as hairdressing, floristry and automotive services.

Download the Small business disaster hub app for Apple iOS or Android to access this information offline and receive relevant alerts.

From 14 October 2024, the Small Business Disaster Hub app will no longer be available to download.

Types of disasters and emergencies

Choose the disaster or emergency most likely to impact your business.

Natural disasters

  • Cyclone and storm surge
  • Severe storm
  • Flood
  • Bushfire
  • Drought

Major health event

  • Pandemics (e.g. COVID-19)
  • Epidemics (e.g. mosquito borne diseases such as dengue, malaria)
  • Localised outbreaks (e.g. Legionnaires' disease, diseases from animal contact)
  • Food poisoning or contamination

Emergency

  • Biosecurity threats (pest and animal disease outbreaks)
  • Workplace accidents or deaths
  • Dangerous material spills, leaks or explosions
  • Loss of power or infrastructure
  • Major transport disasters
  • Terrorist or major criminal incidents
  • Climate change risks

Drought

Information technology (IT) threat

  • Cyber-attack or data hacking
  • IT failure

Reputation incident

  • Highly negative media or social media coverage
  • Rumour-driven crisis
  • Inappropriate workplace behaviour (e.g. bullying, harassment)
  • Organisational misdeeds and legal action (e.g. fraud, theft)