Coles under fire for putting hygiene items in a locked cabinet at Braybrook store

Supermarket giant Coles is trialling putting hygiene products, including toothbrushes and hair dye, behind locked doors at a Melbourne outlet — and shoppers aren’t happy.

A shopper has criticised a Coles store in Melbourne’s west for putting hygiene products behind locked doors, with customers forced to press a button for service.

Emily Rose Dunlop shared a post on social media showing a number of items in Coles’ grooming and dental department including toothbrushes, shavers and hair dye inside a locked cabinet at its store in Braybrook, with a sign advising customers to press a button for service if they want to buy something.

“Instead of lowering prices to struggling families, billionaire profiteers Coles are installing expensive security measures to hygiene products,” she posted.

Hygiene items are now behind a cabinet at a Coles store in Melbourne’s west.

Several grooming and shaving items are behind closed doors.

The Herald Sun understands the single-store trial is looking at how the cabinet could reduce theft and ultimately improve availability for customers.

Commenters had split opinions on the move.

“Great to see; can’t stand seeing uncontrolled theft going on when I pay for all my stuff,” on user said, while another said it might improve customer service.

“The positive is that Coles will have to employ a ‘real person’ to open it. I suggest that everyone pushes the button whether they want something or not.”

Others agreed soaring costs were contributing to thefts.

“I don’t support Coles. This is another reason. If the prices weren’t so outrageous, this wouldn’t be an issue,” one woman posted.

“What a dreadful state our country is in‍️,” another posted.

“People are really struggling and many can’t afford basic amenities.

“Desperate people do desperate things to survive and put food on the table for their families.”

Security tags on meat at Coles Boronia. Picture: TikTok

But others understood the antitheft initiative.

“Theft is also a big driving factor when businesses need to account for pricing. A locked cabinet with a call bell won’t cost much in comparison,” one man posted while another said:

“Theft is a huge reason prices rise … theft is a 100 per cent loss where a sale gets a profit so it needs to be covered.”

Shoppers at a Coles store in Boronia were also recently surprised to find security tags attached to trays of meat, in another attempt by the supermarket giant to stamp out thefts.

And another shopper was surprised to find two varieties of Capilano Manuka Honey, placed under lock and key on the shelf of his local Coles store last year.

The Herald Sun recently revealed shoplifting rates have soared to record highs due to the cost of living crunch.

Authorities are cracking down on organised criminals and are working with those doing it tough after they were identified as the groups doing most of the damage.

Sensodyne toothpaste had emerged as a key target for crooks who are selling the tubes to smaller convenience stores, along with red meat and confectionary items.