'They'll survive': Mum's 'shocking' supermarket act while shopping with kids

An onlooker said she was mortified by it, but others said she was overreacting and even admitted to doing the same in the past. 

A Melbourne mum witnessed another mum's 'shocking' supermarket act while out shopping with her kids and took to a local Facebook group to share her concerns. 

However, after posting, it became apparent that no one was bothered by the other mum's behaviour and actually hit out at the poster for thinking it was an issue in the first place. 

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"They were big bananas too!"

Posting in the Melbourne Mum's Facebook group, the woman wrote: "Hi mums! Allow me to share what I saw today at Coles.

"I was out doing groceries and I saw a mum, with two kids. One in the trolley, the other one, might be five or six years old, walking beside her."

She says the mum walked up to the banana section, picked one up, peeled it and gave it to her eldest child.

"I was a bit shocked," she admitted. "And was in shock some more when she came back and got another one.

"She peeled it and gave it to the same kid. They were big bananas, too."

She also added that there was no 'free fruit for kids' stand in this particular Coles. 

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"A bit cheeky" but "they'll survive"

Cue the sarcastic comments from fellow mums who thought this was a harmless act.

"I think Coles will pull through," one said dryly.

Another quipped: "I’m pretty sure the billion-dollar grocery chain will survive another day. You should see what they throw out."

And a third said it was "a bit cheeky" but reminded everyone that "Coles made $1.1 billion profit last year."

"Oh no, a banana stealer, the shock and horror," a different woman responded.

Someone else noted: "I love how you said big bananas too, like would it have made a difference if they were small?"

Other mums said that they have been in a similar situation where their kids asked for fruit during their shop, but there was no free fruit stand on offer.

"I’ve asked the ones that don’t have a free fruit stand if we can get something. They said it was more than okay, they just removed the free fruit stand because teens were coming after school and abusing the system. Two kids = two bananas," one shared.

Another said: "I always ask a Coles employee if there is no free fruit stand, and they are more than happy for children to have an apple/banana/pear. Leave this woman alone."

"Definitely have done this before; most shops have a free kids area, and when they don’t, my girls don’t understand that," admitted another parent. 

"My child cracks it if she doesn't get a banana. I totally get this mum's situation," someone else replied. 

"This is why kids today seem very entitled:

The posted later responded to all the comments disagreeing with her, re-iterating her stance. 

"I myself have experienced my toddler asking non-stop for a banana. So I go and pay for some before I continue my shopping. LOL," she wrote.

"Responses here are why kids today seem very entitled.

"Yes, they’re just bananas. Yes, Coles have a huge profit. But still, they are FOR SALE. 🙅🏻‍♀️🙅🏻‍♀️"

This article was originally published in May 2024 and was updated in September 2024. 

Originally published as 'They'll survive': Mum's 'shocking' supermarket act while shopping with kids