‘What a waste of food’: Coles shoppers slam disappointing discount deal
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Discounted items at the supermarket are usually a welcome surprise—especially when you're eyeing something pricey.
But one shopper’s recent discovery has sparked backlash, raising eyebrows over what counts as a ‘deal’.
What unfolded has left customers questioning whether supermarket markdowns are really worth it.
Dinner at half price usually sounds like a dream come true—until it isn’t.
One frustrated Coles customer took to social media after spotting what they believed to be a laughable markdown on a premium meat item.
The lamb cutlets in question originally carried a price tag of $44.51, or $45 per kilo.
By the time they hit the quick sale section—just one day before their best before date—that price dropped to $42.28.
That meant a discount of just $2.23, or roughly 5 per cent.
Sharing a photo with the caption: ‘Really Coles?!?’, the shopper made their feelings known.
The post quickly gained traction as other social media users slammed the supermarket giant for what they called a pathetic attempt at a bargain.
‘Expiring today, and yet they only got reduced by a whole 2.23. What a waste of food because I'd rather spend that much on meat that is fresh and not on the verge of causing food poisoning,’ one person commented.
‘Wowsers, what a value,’ another added, with more than a little sarcasm.
‘Bro. No one is going to buy that,’ a third remarked bluntly.
Several pointed out that the issue ran deeper than just the discount—it was the full price that was outrageous.
‘Bruh! You'd have to be earning at least $60/hour for that to be reasonably affordable. On top of rent and other expenses,’ someone wrote.
‘Maybe just make it more affordable in the first place and it wouldn't sit around unsold until it expires,’ another added.
‘Lamb was cheap when I was a kid. I hated it. Now only wealthy ppl can afford it,’ a third said.
In response to the backlash, a Coles spokesperson explained that their markdown decisions take several factors into account.
‘We know our customers love good value so when a product is near it’s Best Before date we often mark it down so it can be enjoyed for a cheaper price, instead of being wasted,’ the spokesperson said.
‘Markdowns do not uniformly take place at the same time across all stores. There are many things that can impact when this takes place including stock on hand, delivery schedules and team member rostering.’
‘Food safety is paramount, and we encourage customers to be mindful of Use By and Best Before dates, which determine the shelf life of food products, how long food can be kept before the quality deteriorates or when the item is unsafe to eat.’
This wasn’t the first time Coles had copped heat for its so-called markdowns.
Earlier this year, shoppers noticed a deck of UNO cards marked down to $3.30—except the box was missing half the cards.
‘At what point do you accept the loss in profits and just toss it?’ one user asked.
When contacted about the incident, Coles said it was not in line with their usual practice.
‘While we can't check the specifics of this reddit post without knowing where this occurred, this appears to be an isolated incident due to human error at an individual store,’ the spokesperson explained.
‘Any product that is missing in part, should be removed from sale immediately and we encourage our customers to let us know if they spot anything in store that isn’t quite right.’
In a previous story, we covered some surprising moves from Coles that caught shoppers’ attention.
If you want to stay in the loop about how supermarkets are changing their offers, it’s worth checking out what happened next.
Read on to see the latest updates on Coles’ bold new promotion and how it contrasts with Woolworths’ recent decisions.
With discounts like these, do you think supermarkets are really helping shoppers save? Share your thoughts in the comments.
But one shopper’s recent discovery has sparked backlash, raising eyebrows over what counts as a ‘deal’.
What unfolded has left customers questioning whether supermarket markdowns are really worth it.
Dinner at half price usually sounds like a dream come true—until it isn’t.
One frustrated Coles customer took to social media after spotting what they believed to be a laughable markdown on a premium meat item.
The lamb cutlets in question originally carried a price tag of $44.51, or $45 per kilo.
Coles lamb discount sparks shopper outrage. Image source: Reddit
By the time they hit the quick sale section—just one day before their best before date—that price dropped to $42.28.
That meant a discount of just $2.23, or roughly 5 per cent.
Sharing a photo with the caption: ‘Really Coles?!?’, the shopper made their feelings known.
The post quickly gained traction as other social media users slammed the supermarket giant for what they called a pathetic attempt at a bargain.
‘Expiring today, and yet they only got reduced by a whole 2.23. What a waste of food because I'd rather spend that much on meat that is fresh and not on the verge of causing food poisoning,’ one person commented.
‘Wowsers, what a value,’ another added, with more than a little sarcasm.
‘Bro. No one is going to buy that,’ a third remarked bluntly.
Several pointed out that the issue ran deeper than just the discount—it was the full price that was outrageous.
‘Bruh! You'd have to be earning at least $60/hour for that to be reasonably affordable. On top of rent and other expenses,’ someone wrote.
‘Maybe just make it more affordable in the first place and it wouldn't sit around unsold until it expires,’ another added.
‘Lamb was cheap when I was a kid. I hated it. Now only wealthy ppl can afford it,’ a third said.
In response to the backlash, a Coles spokesperson explained that their markdown decisions take several factors into account.
‘We know our customers love good value so when a product is near it’s Best Before date we often mark it down so it can be enjoyed for a cheaper price, instead of being wasted,’ the spokesperson said.
‘Markdowns do not uniformly take place at the same time across all stores. There are many things that can impact when this takes place including stock on hand, delivery schedules and team member rostering.’
‘Food safety is paramount, and we encourage customers to be mindful of Use By and Best Before dates, which determine the shelf life of food products, how long food can be kept before the quality deteriorates or when the item is unsafe to eat.’
This wasn’t the first time Coles had copped heat for its so-called markdowns.
Earlier this year, shoppers noticed a deck of UNO cards marked down to $3.30—except the box was missing half the cards.
‘At what point do you accept the loss in profits and just toss it?’ one user asked.
When contacted about the incident, Coles said it was not in line with their usual practice.
‘While we can't check the specifics of this reddit post without knowing where this occurred, this appears to be an isolated incident due to human error at an individual store,’ the spokesperson explained.
‘Any product that is missing in part, should be removed from sale immediately and we encourage our customers to let us know if they spot anything in store that isn’t quite right.’
In a previous story, we covered some surprising moves from Coles that caught shoppers’ attention.
If you want to stay in the loop about how supermarkets are changing their offers, it’s worth checking out what happened next.
Read on to see the latest updates on Coles’ bold new promotion and how it contrasts with Woolworths’ recent decisions.
With discounts like these, do you think supermarkets are really helping shoppers save? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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