‘Stay vigilant’: Coles shoppers discover discrepancies in self-serve registers

Are you a regular at Coles self-serve checkouts? If so, you might want to pay extra attention to your receipts.

Two Coles shoppers have recently raised concerns about serious issues with the supermarket's self-serve registers.



In one incident, a customer urged others to ‘stay vigilant’ when scanning groceries.

They said they were charged full price for two discounted items.

The error was only discovered after the customer had checked their receipt.


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Two Coles shoppers noticed they were charged differently for their items. Credit: Shutterstock


However, the shopper was asked to provide photographic evidence of the markdown before a refund could be issued.

'I ran into Coles yesterday and used the self-checkout. I was about to pay when I noticed the total looked a bit high,' the customer explained on social media.

'I was only buying three items, so it was easy to spot the error–two of the items that were supposed to be discounted did not scan at the discounted price.'

‘I flagged down the assistant, and she asked me what the prices were meant to be. When I said I [didn’t] know exactly, she asked if I could GO AND TAKE A PHOTO OF THE DISCOUNT PRICE TAGS AND COME BACK,’ they said.

‘I said “No”, and instead looked them up on my phone via the website and showed her, then she applied the discounts manually.’

‘How often can this be happening?’ they asked.



In another case, a shopper found that a piece of ginger and two capsicums were weighed incorrectly at the self-serve checkout, resulting in a significant price discrepancy.

The customer's home scales showed a weight difference of about 138 grams for both items compared to the Coles self-service scales.

The images showed that a ginger piece seemed heavier, 241 grams, on the Coles scales, but only 102 grams on his kitchen scales.

Also, two green capsicums appeared to weigh 581 grams on the Coles self-service scales but only 443 grams at home.

‘Both come with an error for about 138 grams. Any explanation?’ the customer asked on social media.

He explained that he had returned the items to the store, who agreed that the items had been weighed incorrectly on the self-service scales and gave him his money back.

‘They confirmed that the weight and price [were] wrongly charged, so they granted me the refund. I am really happy with the outcome,’ he said.



Coles has responded to these incidents, stating they have several policies and safeguards to protect customers against overcharging.

'At Coles Supermarkets, we have “Our Promise on Price Scanning” to ensure confidence in the pricing accuracy at our registers,’ a spokesperson said.

‘If a single item scans at a higher price than the advertised or ticketed shelf price for that item, we will give the customer that item free.’

‘We are disappointed to hear of this customer experience. We have processes in place to ensure that our marked-down items are charged correctly at the register.’

‘We would encourage our customers to let one of our friendly team members know if they see an issue that doesn’t seem right before checking out or on their receipt after they have checked out so that we can ensure any issues are rectified promptly,’ they added.

In the first incident, the customer was entitled to receive the item for free.



In the second case, Coles said several measures were taken to ensure the accuracy of register scales.

‘We at Coles, we have policies and procedures in place to monitor and maintain the accuracy of our scales to make sure that our customers are charged correctly, the spokesperson said.

‘Our team members are also monitoring the self-service checkouts throughout the day to identify any issues and reset them when needed.’

‘While we do have technology to flag issues that may arise at our self-service checkouts, we encourage our customers to let one of our friendly team members know if they see an issue that doesn’t seem right on their receipt or when weighing an item so we can make sure it is rectified promptly.’

You may check the shopper’s statement below:

Credit: @Arrowx1994Ye / Twitter


These incidents also happen in other supermarkets.

In a previous story, a Woolworths shopper was shocked to see their checkout screen displaying a different total when his shopping haul should have cost lower.

The shopper was ‘annoyed’ that his Woolies purchase ‘did not equate to the individual items’ he purchased. You can read more about the story here.
Key Takeaways

  • Two Coles shoppers have reported issues with being overcharged and incorrect weighing at self-serve registers.
  • A Coles spokesperson assured that the supermarket has policies in place to protect customers against overcharging and encourages shoppers to be vigilant.
  • One shopper was asked to provide photo evidence of discounted prices before receiving a manual discount at the self-serve checkout.
  • A customer received a refund after proving that fresh items were weighed incorrectly on the self-serve scales, with Coles reaffirming their commitment to accurate pricing and measures to maintain scale accuracy.
Have you experienced any issues with self-serve checkouts at Coles or any other supermarket? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below.
 
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On my shop of Coles the Saturday before last I purchased a 1kg pack of coffee beans. They were all ticked as half price eg 20 instead of 40. Laundry capsules the same - half price. But when I got home checking the groceries before putting away I noticed the coffee charged at full price. The laundry capsules had a packed shelf of the item so I purchased two at half price. But checking at home one pack contents was less than the other pack. They had all been packed in one pile so checking contents of each was not done as described all in one pile. Also a frozen pack of cauliflower also scanned twice when I only had one pack. So it does pay to check you receipt after a shop. I don't do it always but in future will be checking. Coles were receptive when I went back this Saturday and ended up getting EIGHTY DOLLARS refunded , so definately not pocket money. This has happened on another time at the same store same self service area,legs of lamb were advertised as $12kg special but they had put new stock in the area at the old price of $14kg and scanned at the new price. Lamb roast tasted even better being free from wrong scan. Also watch is you get on flybys a ''freebie''. It will scan at the full price and you have to argue with the self service checkout operator to get the item for free as advised in flyby's. So everyone stay alert when using the self service checkouts they are not always correct.
 
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Reactions: Annette V and Gsr
The supermarkets encourage you to do there job and use self service checkouts and them dont trust you and want to check your receipts. Need to check of they have covered to original bar code before scanning the discounted bar code otherwise you will be charged full price and Coles store managers dotn believe customers. Been burnt before now shop Aldi or Woolworths
 
At Coles, I purchased 2 bags of mini chocolate bars in an advertised "any 2 bags" multiple buy deal. Was charged full price. Challenged it, even going back and taking a photo as proof. Checkout chick said they had to be the same type. I gave up, later contacting customer complaints with proof. Absolutely nothing from them. Now shop at Woolies.
 
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🤣🤣🤣🤣 the second customer who claimed the scale weights were wrong next time needs to weigh them individually..because from look of it she left the ginger on with the capsicums! HER/HIS MISTAKE not the scales....
 
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As I don’t get paid by any store, I refuse to use self service. On a number of occasions when I have gone into a store very early and there has been no one on the till I have asked staff when the till will be open and then just wait. Staff on the tills can also make errors as well as checkout
 
If you are reading this then you have a smart phone which usually has a calculator on it... also it has a camera that you can take photos with!
I keep a running total of my purchases and if the final docket charges 1 cent more I find the item and get it for free.
Also make sure you walk back with the person checking the aisle price as sometimes they have come back and said that I was wrong until I have shown them a pic I took of the tag... which means they've just removed an incorrect tag hmmm 🤔 but after seeing the pic you'll get it for nothing and they have egg on their face for their dishonesty.
 
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Reactions: Macarj and Gsr
Duck their bloody self check outs!!
I generally do walk there walk home little shops under 15 items in a backpack ---- no staffed fast check out I walk out . So Coles win WW lose .
If I drive the other stores in town ; WW and IGA win and Coles lose out .
As for Aldi --- only if I really need to --- their check outs are stupid (not the staff of coarse )

Smokes would have to be the most staff costly product offered
 
I have been caught so many times at the checkout with double scanning and being charged more than the advertised price for shopping. Now I pay close attention to the price tags and when I get to the checkout I try to watch the groceries been priced as they go through the checkout to make sure I'm not being overcharged. You can't watch what they scan through all of the time but now I always get my docket after paying and go through it to make sure I haven't been overcharged or double scanned. It takes a minute but it's no good checking the docket when you get home, you need to be near the checkout to let them know so they can check it and give you a refund. When I do find a mistake they do not apologise, they don't care. You have to check EVERYTHING these days, I'm sick of doing the work for other people so they can get paid for it!
 
if you had paid for the discounted good you could have taken the reciept to the service desk because of the scanning rules of practice you would have recieved a full refund and kept the items free of charge, this only applies after you have paid
 
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All self serve checkouts in any store won’t scan the reduced price you need a sales assistant to adjust the price. Therefore if you purchase reduced items best to go through the tills.
 
All self serve checkouts in any store won’t scan the reduced price you need a sales assistant to adjust the price. Therefore if you purchase reduced items best to go through the tills.
I go through the register all the time now anyway, as I read in an article some time ago about someone who went off at Coles about unpacking their trolley to scan at the self-serve checkout, scanning, repacking the trolley then being asked to show their products and receipt on the way out. Was a good article.
 
I go through the register all the time now anyway, as I read in an article some time ago about someone who went off at Coles about unpacking their trolley to scan at the self-serve checkout, scanning, repacking the trolley then being asked to show their products and receipt on the way out. Was a good article.
Holey moley!
 

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