How supermarket staff are cracking down on greedy cheats in collectables craze

Supermarket are cracking down on greedy shoppers who are double-dipping in the latest collectable toy crazes. Here’s how Coles and Woolies are tackling the cheats.

Receipts are reportedly being marked to stop shoppers claiming more collectibles than they are entitled to. Picture: Hanna Lassen, Getty Images.

Supermarket staff are marking receipts as shoppers scramble to get their hands on prized Woolworths’ Lion King and Coles’ Little Shop collectables.

Customers have reported having their dockets ticked off at check-outs, while others have been blocked from poaching toys from other shoppers.

One Melbourne Woolies shopper said she was advised receipts were marked to prevent customers trying to claim the figurines multiple times with the same receipt.

But Woolworths said the purpose was to ensure shoppers were given the right number of collectables.

Distribution of the popular items is based on minimum spends.

Shoppers may still voluntarily donate their collectables to others, a spokeswoman said.

“Woolworths team members have been circling and signing the receipt to ensure the correct amount of Ooshies are being handed out to each customer,” a spokeswoman said.

Rival Coles said some staff had been “extra diligent to ensure they are providing customers with the correct number of minis at the end of their shop by highlighting or circling the number which is stated on our supermarket receipts”.

Another Woolies shopper said she had witnessed customers being prevented from stockpiling the collectables when those ahead of them in line said they did not want them.

Woolworths confirmed its policy was “team members are not allowed to hand other customers the previous customer’s entitlement”.

However, there was nothing stopping shoppers voluntarily donating their collectables to others.

“If a customer hands you their Lion King Ooshies personally, then you are entitled to keep them and add them to your collection,” the spokeswoman said.

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Woolies this week said it was investigating a “speculative” claim of staff selling the toys online after a complaint was posted on Facebook.

Reports have also emerged of a mother’s tantrum after she was refused a Coles’ Little Shop toy because she fell short of the needed in-store spend.

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