Coles shopper makes shocking discovery: 'It’s just nasty'

A recent incident at a Coles supermarket has left shoppers questioning the cleanliness of their local stores.

One customer was so disgusted by what he found in the meat section that he immediately left the store, vowing not to return until the issue was addressed.



While browsing the meat section at Coles’ Pacific Fair store on the Gold Coast, the customer noticed a patch of mould growing on the shelf close to the beef sausages, apparently resulting from a stain left by a leaking meat pack.

'Imagine seeing this while smelling their seafood section…I just walked straight out,' the shopper wrote online, expressing his shock that the staff hadn't noticed and cleaned up the issue.

'It’s just nasty, and shouldn’t have even got to the point of rotting and growing mould,' he added.


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A customer found mould growing on the shelf of a Coles supermarket. Image source: Reddit.


The incident sparked a wave of reactions online, with many shoppers expressing their disgust at the find.

One person, claiming to be a former Coles worker, suggested that shoppers might be better off not looking too closely at the fridge shelves under the produce in supermarkets.



Another commenter pointed out that mould is to be expected and even 'common' on the shelves of supermarkets, given that they hold fresh products.

The Gold Coast has also been experiencing flooding in recent months, which can increase the likelihood of mould growth in buildings.

However, others were less forgiving, describing the find as 'rank' and 'horrifying'.

In response to the incident, a Coles spokesperson said that the team at the Pacific Fair store prides themselves on maintaining a clean store and described the mould find as an 'isolated' incident.



'Coles takes food safety extremely seriously and our teams work hard and pride themselves on keeping a clean and hygienic environment in all our stores,' the spokesperson said.

'Our shelves are thoroughly cleaned regularly, and in relation to the photo you have provided, this is an isolated situation.'

The shopper confirmed that he had notified staff of the issue, and it is understood that the shelf has since been cleaned.



In similar news, a shopper’s recent routine trip down the dairy aisle of the Woolworths store in Rozelle, Sydney, unexpectedly took a disgusting turn.

The customer claimed to have discovered black mould growing in the dairy fridge, along with expired products on the shelves.

Responding to the allegations, a Woolworths spokesperson stated that the company takes food safety very seriously and was disappointed to see these reports.

You can read more about this incident here.
Key Takeaways
  • A shopper at Coles Supermarket at Pacific Fair on the Gold Coast found a patch of mould on the shelf in the meat section next to beef sausages.
  • The customer was so disturbed by his discovery that he 'walked straight out' of the store.
  • Many online responses ranged from disgust to resignation about the occurrence of mould in supermarkets due to the presence of fresh products and recent flooding in the area that has increased moisture.
  • Coles responded by stating that cleanliness is a priority in their stores, calling the mould incident 'isolated,' and confirmed that the shelf was promptly cleaned after being notified.
Have you ever encountered a similar situation in your local supermarket? Share your stories in the comments below.
 
  • Angry
Reactions: BJM and Petra
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Our coles store in Sale Victoria has a mould problem in its fridges . The deli fridges had to be cleaned professionally ( mould removed ) last year by an insurance approved repair company they are finally ( slowly) replacing the freezers .. meat department fridges are constantly being emptied and cleaned
the store is old but coles is not building a new one as was supposed to happen two years ago they have the land and expect customers to shop at this small out dated run down store .
 
It's irrelevant what Coles expects its customers to do . The choice is in shoppers hands/ feet where they choose to shop. It's called voting with your feet. :) and regardless of a buildings age or condition, the power is in the hands of each stores own store manager to look after their customer base. thank goodness we as customers have choices still in this country. 😄
 
It's a moist (refrigerated) area with 'fluids/condensation' from meat packaging etc, what would you expect. Every Coles or Woolies that I've been into has staff wiping down meat shelves on most occasions that I've been into a store. Tell someone, if nothing is done then, vent your 'outrage' on social media if that floats your boat. I've been into the Aldi store near where I live and seen the same dirt on shelves for weeks. If the product was left exposed directly (without excessive) packaging then the mould would be an issue.
 
A little bit off topic, but has anyone noticed the state of the handheld baskets at supermarkets lately?

Most of them are afflicted some crusty white or creamy deposits as of something leaked. Do the supermarkets ever clean these baskets?
The IGA store close to where I used to work employed one of the people supported by our company to clean the trollies and baskets, and he took such pride in his work. The staff and customers at IGA were so appreciative of what an amazing job he did.
 
A little bit off topic, but has anyone noticed the state of the handheld baskets at supermarkets lately?

Most of them are afflicted some crusty white or creamy deposits as of something leaked. Do the supermarkets ever clean these baskets?
I have to go through a few baskets at our Woollies to get a clean one
 

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