Agitated Christchurch customer threatens supermarket worker over Covid-19 restrictions - 'I'll punch you in the f***ing head'

Video posted online shows the altercation after the change in alert levels meant customers had to pack their bags outside the store.

An agitated customer at a Christchurch supermarket has been trespassed after threatening to punch a worker in the head.

In a video posted to social media, a man is seen threatening a worker by saying "I will punch you in the f***ing head" after he was told he had to pack his own bags outside the store due to Covid-19 alert level restictions.

The incident took place at Countdown Kaiapoi on Hilton Road about 12.10pm today.

Jess, who filmed the video but didn't want her surname used, told 1 NEWS the man was "burping really loudly" and "just being a pig, really".

Ahead of the incident at the checkout, she said he was irritated by having to line up.

"Everything was fine until he was asked nicely by the checkout operator that we all had to now pack our bags at our cars and he got upset," she said.

"He started throwing all his stuff into the trolley than let loose on the poor staff members. He then threw a bag of chips and wanted a refund as he walked out of the store.

"It was quite frightening. Can't imagine how the ones being threatened felt but I feel the staff handled it really great and a new operator was put on to deal with the rest of us in line."

Police told 1 NEWS they were called to reports of a person behaving aggressively and the man was subsequently trespassed.

Jess said his trespassing was "great news".

Police advised anyone feeling anxious or stressed as a result of the change in Covid-19 alert levels check out mental health resources provided by the Government. 

In a statement to 1 NEWS, Countdown's General Manager Corporate Affairs Kiri Hannifin said "we know that this is a very unsettling time for all Kiwis, but there is absolutely no excuse for anyone to be rude, physically or verbally abusive to any of our team and we will not stand for it".  

"As part of our Alert Level 3 and 2 policies we reintroduced today, we will not be packing customers shopping into bags. This is the same policy we had in March and April during lockdown Level 4.

"We would like to remind all our customers that we have plenty of food and supplies, there is no need to stock-up. Please shop as normal and remember to be kind and respectful of our team."

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