Coles shopper shares savvy shopping trick to fill your cart without emptying your wallet!

In the world of savvy shopping, there's nothing quite as satisfying as walking away with a haul of groceries that didn't cost a cent.

It's like finding a hidden treasure in the mundane routine of our weekly shop.

For one eagle-eyed Coles customer, this became a reality when she uncovered a trick that turned a routine grocery run into a freebie fest!


Now, before you dismiss this as a one-off stroke of luck, let me share with you the secret that this shopper leveraged, which is something all of us can keep an eye out for.

It's all about the fine print, and in this case, the fine print is the supermarket's Promise on Price Scanning policy.

Here's the scoop: both Coles and Woolworths have a policy that if an item scans at the checkout at a higher price than what's advertised on the shelf, you're entitled to receive that item for free. Yes, you read that right—for free!


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A Coles customer capitalised on the store's Promise on Price Scanning policy when the till's pricing didn't match the shelf prices. Credits: Shutterstock


Our savvy shopper from Queensland shared her story on social media, explaining how she noticed that some of the ‘weekly special’ tags had not been removed by Wednesday, the day when new ‘specials’ kick in.

As a result, she was charged higher prices at the checkout than what was displayed on the shelf.

Thanks to the Promise on Price Scanning policy, she didn't have to pay a dime for the items that were overcharged.

‘This is the result of the scanning code. I still have the mop, I still have the sauce, I still have the wraps,’ she said.

But wait, there's more! She also snagged some dry-roasted nuts that scanned at four times the advertised price of $1.

‘So, they were refunded, but, yes, I have them,’ she shared.

‘So, I know what I am talking about in terms of the scanning code of practice.’


The scanning code of practice is a voluntary code endorsed by Coles, Woolworths, and ALDI, all of whom have pledged to adhere to its guidelines.

Coles refers to this as its Promise on Price Scanning policy, ensuring pricing accuracy across all its supermarkets.

‘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,’ a Coles spokesperson said.

Woolworths refers to it as their Price Scan Policy, guaranteeing customers receive an item for free if it scans at a higher price than advertised on the shelf.

If multiple items scan higher than the shelf price, Coles, Woolworths, and ALDI stipulated that only the first item will be provided free of charge, preventing customers from obtaining multiple identical items for free.


The story of our Coles shopper's windfall sparked a conversation among other shoppers, with many sharing their own experiences of receiving free items due to scanning errors.

‘I never knew this was a thing until last weekend,’ one shopper said.

‘When I mentioned something scanned wrong, and she is like, “Oh, I will put [it] through as free.” I thought it was her kindness until someone told me about this.’

Some condemned the shopper for purposefully noticing the errors in Coles' price tags.

However, others contended that the outdated tickets should not have been left on the shelves.


This discovery sparked excitement among budget-conscious consumers, highlighting the importance of staying informed about money-saving opportunities.

In a similar vein, another Coles shopper recently shed light on this trick. Meanwhile, an Aussie mum also took advantage of this tip on her Woolworths grocery trip.

These insightful revelations highlighted the significance of being updated on retail policies and promotions, empowering shoppers to make the most of their hard-earned money while enjoying the perks of unexpected savings.
Key Takeaways
  • A Coles shopper utilised the supermarket's Promise on Price Scanning policy to get $45 worth of items for free due to incorrect pricing at the till compared to the shelf price.
  • The policy is a voluntary code that Coles, Woolworths, and ALDI participate in, ensuring customers are charged the advertised shelf price.
  • If an item scans at a higher price than the shelf ticket, the customer is entitled to receive that item for free under this policy.
  • The incident sparked a mixed response online, with some criticising the exploitation of errors, while others pointed out that the store should have removed outdated price tags.
Have you ever benefited from a supermarket's price scanning policy? Or perhaps you've got other shopping hacks to share with our community? Drop us a comment below!
 
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Yes this has happen to me to Cole’s are happy to stand by the promise of a full refund if the scanned item is incorrect wowevee woolies in a couple of instances the checkout lady would only refund the difference seems some staff at Woolies make their own rules one yes you could take it up with the manager if you can find one one time employee refused the refund till I stood my ground then I got a very nasty look , I reported to the manager who was going to reply took details and my name and contact. Result nothing
 
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Once again this sounds like a made up story. The 'special' tags also have the validity dates and if the tags left on from the previous week (or put there by someone scamming this policy) are out of date, there is no requirement under the code to hand over for free. If it did, put simply it would only happen once. Very quickly the procedural instructions would go out to all stores to also check advertised dates. Otherwise I'm going into Coles on the last day of the weeks special and take a handful of tags, put them back up the next week shop for free based on this dubious story. Based on this very simplistic report, I should be able to take in the catalogue and say it's still valid even though it's past the validity date. The computer price was correct if it's post the advertised special price.
 
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Beware of this strategy as it may rebound on you. Sometimes yellow ticket items are very specific but the actual product on the shelf is not what is on offer. For example, this week I selected a dishwashing product that was advertised on the yellow ticket as being at half-price. I noted that the brand and size was correct but the actual name on the product was slightly different than what was on the yellow ticket. Sure enough it scanned at the higher price at the check-out. I did not bother to argue and asked the service operator to remove the product from my purchases. One has to very careful to read the yellow tickets carefully and match the product as variations result in being surprised at the check-out. This particular Coles in Bondi Junction has service attendants who can be quite rude so it is your responsibility to make sure all is correct before you scan the products at the check-out.
 
It was brought in when scanners first came in and it was to keep them on the ball as I worked at coles doing the job you would be surprised just how many prices can be wrong when not checked on regular basis
 
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Yes this has happen to me to Cole’s are happy to stand by the promise of a full refund if the scanned item is incorrect wowevee woolies in a couple of instances the checkout lady would only refund the difference seems some staff at Woolies make their own rules one yes you could take it up with the manager if you can find one one time employee refused the refund till I stood my ground then I got a very nasty look , I reported to the manager who was going to reply took details and my name and contact. Result nothing
If you correct the price at the checkout, they do put the item through at the corrected price. However, if you just keep that in your memory & go to the Customer Service desk you will get a full refund. I always get a printout of my docket & check the prices before leaving the store & many times I have gone back to the Customer Service desk & always got a full refund at any Woolies store I frequent.
 
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Once again this sounds like a made up story. The 'special' tags also have the validity dates and if the tags left on from the previous week (or put there by someone scamming this policy) are out of date, there is no requirement under the code to hand over for free. If it did, put simply it would only happen once. Very quickly the procedural instructions would go out to all stores to also check advertised dates. Otherwise I'm going into Coles on the last day of the weeks special and take a handful of tags, put them back up the next week shop for free based on this dubious story. Based on this very simplistic report, I should be able to take in the catalogue and say it's still valid even though it's past the validity date. The computer price was correct if it's post the advertised special price.
I was caught by special tags which hadn't been changed in my local IGA. When I got to the car & checked the price of the goods I had purchased (I purchased 4 because of the price), I went back into the store to report the error. I only saw the specials tag & did not read the dates (I couldn't have read them if I had tried they were so small & high up on the shelves). The assistant went to check that what I said was correct & found the tag. She was a bit annoyed that staff had not removed the tag but did refund me all my money for the 4 items as they had made the mistake.
 
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I had two purchases from Office Works last week both of which I was over charged for, totally nearly $40.00 but all I got was a long wait while someone did a price check!
I don't have a problem with the staff doing a price check as there are so many dishonest people around today that they need to be sure you are being honest. It's sad that this country has come to this state but that's the way it is.
 
And guess who pays for it. I bet it’s not the store but it’s added into the prices
 
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Once again this sounds like a made up story. The 'special' tags also have the validity dates and if the tags left on from the previous week (or put there by someone scamming this policy) are out of date, there is no requirement under the code to hand over for free. If it did, put simply it would only happen once. Very quickly the procedural instructions would go out to all stores to also check advertised dates. Otherwise I'm going into Coles on the last day of the weeks special and take a handful of tags, put them back up the next week shop for free based on this dubious story. Based on this very simplistic report, I should be able to take in the catalogue and say it's still valid even though it's past the validity date. The computer price was correct if it's post the advertised special price.
 
At the very least the Manager and Department manager should get it in the neck
 
On a slightly different tack, when Coles and others raised the price of 3Ltr FC milk to $4.50, I was at a nameless Cole supermarket and purchased 4 bottles @$4.50 each = $18.00. Being on first names with the checkout lady I said in a relatively loud voice that "it was great that Coles has this bulk buy special on 3Ltr milk at only $18.00 for four bottles" giving her a subtle wink. The three shoppers behind me suddenly dissapeared. I left the store before they got back. Fortnight later same checkout lady told me it was hilarious as those three shoppers each came back with four bottles each of 3Ltrs.
There is a moral to the story here somewhere.
 
Haven't benefited from it yet but have known about for years and have helped others in front of me to get Item for free.
 
If you discover this on checkout, don’t leave it to the staff to check. There was once I did and she came back to tell me that the price was correct (she must have taken the “Special” price off).
Lesson: always follow the staff to check or take a photo of the Special price with a date stamp
 
Once again this sounds like a made up story. The 'special' tags also have the validity dates and if the tags left on from the previous week (or put there by someone scamming this policy) are out of date, there is no requirement under the code to hand over for free. If it did, put simply it would only happen once. Very quickly the procedural instructions would go out to all stores to also check advertised dates. Otherwise I'm going into Coles on the last day of the weeks special and take a handful of tags, put them back up the next week shop for free based on this dubious story. Based on this very simplistic report, I should be able to take in the catalogue and say it's still valid even though it's past the validity date. The computer price was correct if it's post the advertised special price.
Well that would be a way of cheating them. But if the tickets are left up then their scanning policy does apply.

Also note that you don't get the refund at the checkout. You pay for the groceries and claim at the service desk.
 
That is why the supermarkets are going to digital labels. Office changes the price, no left old tickets.
 

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