RETAILERS have demanded Gold Coast staff enforce bans on hoodies and helmets in response to the city's armed robbery epidemic.

Chains such as BP and Shell are urging their Gold Coast store managers to follow the policy to help avoid robberies and easily identify thieves, The Gold Coast Bulletin reports.

BP senior customer response representative Ryan Holmes said company-owned sites on the Gold Coast had been ordered to take initiatives to protect their staff.

About 20 Gold Coast BP service stations now close at 8.30pm instead of 10pm and staff are asking customers to remove clothing that hides their face.

Several Shell service stations on the Gold Coast including Miami and Burleigh Waters have also adopted the no hoodies and helmets policy.

Although Woolworths Petrol has not made the move company policy, employees of its Southport station have insisted their customers remove their hoods.