Coles shopper angry over paper bag policy

A Coles customer has hit out at the supermarket giant after he claims he was made to feel like a thief over their 25 cent paper bags.

A Coles customer has hit out at the supermarket giant after he claims he was made to feel like a thief over their 25 cent paper bags.

The shopper took to social media to vent his frustrations, claiming staff insisted on scanning his four Coles paper bags he had set aside for his $100 grocery shop at the self-serve checkout.

The man, who was shopping at a supermarket on the NSW Central Coast, said when he declined the assistance the staff member asked if he knew the price of the shopping bags.

He claims another staff member then told him it was now policy for Coles staff to scan the 25 cent paper bags for customers at the self-serve registers.

The shopper said he was “insulted” by the insinuation he was going to steal the paper bags.

“Seriously asked me if I knew the bags were 25 cents each. I’ve been shopping at Coles for decades and noticed the change in bags and the price since like everyone else — I have enough of them shoved above a cupboard,” the man said, according to 7 News.

But a Coles spokesperson had defended the supermarket’s actions, saying staff were simply doing their part to provide exceptional service.

“Coles is always looking for ways to improve how we serve our customers and provide exceptional customer service. Given this, our team members are always encouraged to help our customers where possible,” the spokesperson said.

“Whether it’s bulky items or some new bags to start the process of checking out, a team member in the area will, when possible, offer to assist customers in scanning any items.

This is all about providing great service to our customers and helping them get through the check-outs quickly and efficiently.”

A Coles customer has let loose at the supermarket chain after he claims he was made to feel like a thief over the 25 cent paper bags. Picture: Matt Loxton

The customer’s Facebook rant took aim at the supermarket’s profit margin and the second staff member’s “uncaring” response to his offence.

“I have to say I am very insulted by this insinuation that I was likely to steal them, I mean what else can I think when firstly I told her I would scan them and she follows it up asking me if I know the price?”

The staff member insisted on scanning the bags. Picture: Coles

When he informed who he had thought was the store manager, the man said he was told about the AI cameras that watched shoppers.

“Well, if there are AI cameras watching, and you have those wheelchair crushing gates installed to ensure people scan everything, do you really need staff badgering customers just trying to get a shop in,” he argued.

In 2023, both Coles and Woolworths went to increasingly drastic lengths to combat theft as it has become an estimated $9 billion-a-year problem.

After a pandemic-induced lull, retail theft has surged both at home and abroad. Comparison website Finder reported in October that Australians are stealing from shops, service stations and cafes in record numbers – proof, Finder money expert Sarah Megginson said at the time, that households are at “breaking point”.

In a bid to protect the bottom line – and stamp out violent behaviour inflicted upon staff by a minority of customers, both Coles and Woolworths have deployed a number of new tactics over the last 12 months.

At Coles, the supermarkets have CCTV, electronic article surveillance, trolley lock technology and some supermarkets even have smart gate technology, which automatically opens as customers make payments for their products.

After a successful trial, in September the grocery giant also rolled out body-worn cameras at 30 of its most high-risk stores across Victoria, Western Australia, Queensland and South Australia.

The interaction took place in a self-serve area. Picture: Mark Scott

Woolworths also ramped up security – including the implementation of double gates upon entry at stores to prevent people pushing shopping trolleys out the front, and $50 million “assisted scan” technology at self-check-outs that prompt customers if the system flags an incorrect scan, as well as enhanced camera monitoring. It is also trialling technology that will assign digital IDs to customers via sensors located in the roof.

In addition to the measures put in place at Coles, a number of policies have been introduced to stop customers stealing – such as insisting on bulky items being scanned first.

Originally published as Coles shopper angry over paper bag policy