Could this Coles money-saving hack really be legal? The debate is far from over
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A man’s viral social media video claiming to have discovered a "loophole" in Coles’ self-checkout system has sparked heated debate.
The conversation quickly spiraled from light-hearted banter to serious questions about legality, with some viewers split between calling it genius and others warning of the potential fallout.
The debate is far from over—here’s what you need to know.
An Australian man caused a stir online after claiming to have found a “loophole” in Coles’ self-checkout system.
He suggested shoppers could save money by exploiting a quirk in the supermarket’s weighing scales.
The clip, taken from The Kick It Forward podcast, went viral after being shared on social media.
In the video, the man detailed his discovery of how the self-serve checkout scales fail to register the weight of light produce accurately.
‘I found a loophole using the Coles self-scanner fruit and veg scales, and you won’t believe this, but it’s not just theft,’ he joked.
The man explained that the scales weren’t sensitive enough to weigh items that were too light, sharing his experience with a single chilli, which was charged only three cents.
He realised the scales had charged him far less than the actual weight of the chilli, which he later weighed at home on more precise scales.
He said: ‘It charged me only three cents for one chilli which was $30 a kilo. I did the math, and wondered, “This single chilli can’t weigh one gram, can it?”’
After discovering the chilli weighed 10 grams, he realised he should have been charged 30 cents instead.
He suggested that for items like chillies, buying them one at a time could result in savings, as the scales wouldn't pick up the correct weight.
‘Now, obviously, if you put 10 chillies on there, it will become heavy enough for the scales to be accurate since there’s enough weight,’ he noted.
‘But if you’re willing to weigh just one chilli at a time, you can save big bucks.’
His co-host laughed and pointed out the practicality issues, asking if he would weigh every spinach leaf or cut a banana into pieces for the same purpose.
But the man was unfazed, saying: ‘I’m allowed to do this!’
The video quickly gained thousands of views and sparked mixed reactions among viewers, some of whom found the trick clever, while others were not so impressed.
‘Shush, don’t tell them,’ one commenter joked.
Another warned: ‘Don’t let Woolies or Coles see this.’
‘I do this with garlic,’ one woman admitted. ‘A few cloves has come to $0.00 before for me.’
Others didn’t see the point, with one person questioning the effort required for such small savings: ‘Wow, you do all this just to save 20 cents.’
The conversation also sparked memories of similar behaviour, with one commenter recalling their time working at Franklin’s: ‘25 years ago I worked at Franklin’s. I literally had a customer do this—every carrot, every literal grape, every potato, one at a time and paid for individually.’
Despite the backlash, the social media user insisted his actions were legal, arguing that he wasn’t engaging in theft.
However, legal experts like Alison and Jillian Barrett disagreed, saying that underpaying intentionally at self-checkouts was a form of theft and illegal.
They warned that such actions contribute to a significant theft issue in Australia, which costs retailers billions of dollars each year.
‘This dishonest behaviour unfortunately affects us all by pushing up grocery prices,’ the lawyers said.
Watch the video below to learn more.
Check out these must-read articles for the latest Coles news and deals!
With the debate over self-checkout hacks heating up, do you think it's clever shopping or crossing a legal line? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
The conversation quickly spiraled from light-hearted banter to serious questions about legality, with some viewers split between calling it genius and others warning of the potential fallout.
The debate is far from over—here’s what you need to know.
An Australian man caused a stir online after claiming to have found a “loophole” in Coles’ self-checkout system.
He suggested shoppers could save money by exploiting a quirk in the supermarket’s weighing scales.
The clip, taken from The Kick It Forward podcast, went viral after being shared on social media.
In the video, the man detailed his discovery of how the self-serve checkout scales fail to register the weight of light produce accurately.
‘I found a loophole using the Coles self-scanner fruit and veg scales, and you won’t believe this, but it’s not just theft,’ he joked.
The man explained that the scales weren’t sensitive enough to weigh items that were too light, sharing his experience with a single chilli, which was charged only three cents.
He realised the scales had charged him far less than the actual weight of the chilli, which he later weighed at home on more precise scales.
He said: ‘It charged me only three cents for one chilli which was $30 a kilo. I did the math, and wondered, “This single chilli can’t weigh one gram, can it?”’
After discovering the chilli weighed 10 grams, he realised he should have been charged 30 cents instead.
He suggested that for items like chillies, buying them one at a time could result in savings, as the scales wouldn't pick up the correct weight.
‘Now, obviously, if you put 10 chillies on there, it will become heavy enough for the scales to be accurate since there’s enough weight,’ he noted.
‘But if you’re willing to weigh just one chilli at a time, you can save big bucks.’
His co-host laughed and pointed out the practicality issues, asking if he would weigh every spinach leaf or cut a banana into pieces for the same purpose.
But the man was unfazed, saying: ‘I’m allowed to do this!’
The video quickly gained thousands of views and sparked mixed reactions among viewers, some of whom found the trick clever, while others were not so impressed.
‘Shush, don’t tell them,’ one commenter joked.
Another warned: ‘Don’t let Woolies or Coles see this.’
‘I do this with garlic,’ one woman admitted. ‘A few cloves has come to $0.00 before for me.’
Others didn’t see the point, with one person questioning the effort required for such small savings: ‘Wow, you do all this just to save 20 cents.’
The conversation also sparked memories of similar behaviour, with one commenter recalling their time working at Franklin’s: ‘25 years ago I worked at Franklin’s. I literally had a customer do this—every carrot, every literal grape, every potato, one at a time and paid for individually.’
Despite the backlash, the social media user insisted his actions were legal, arguing that he wasn’t engaging in theft.
However, legal experts like Alison and Jillian Barrett disagreed, saying that underpaying intentionally at self-checkouts was a form of theft and illegal.
They warned that such actions contribute to a significant theft issue in Australia, which costs retailers billions of dollars each year.
‘This dishonest behaviour unfortunately affects us all by pushing up grocery prices,’ the lawyers said.
Watch the video below to learn more.
Check out these must-read articles for the latest Coles news and deals!
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With the debate over self-checkout hacks heating up, do you think it's clever shopping or crossing a legal line? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
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