A Coles shopper has recently aired her frustration on social media about an easy-to-miss issue in the supermarket’s milk aisle.

Sharing on Twitter, the Sydney woman complained that the milk shelves at her local Coles are not ‘friendly’ for short people.

She posted two photos of the milk section, showing how all varieties of 1L and 500mL milk had been placed on the uppermost shelf of the display.

Meanwhile, dozens of the two and three-litre bottles of milk are placed on the bottom four shelves, which are more easily accessible for most people.

Apparently, the woman only wanted a litre of milk but was unable to reach the top shelf.

She tagged the official Coles account in her tweet, expressing how ‘problematic’ their shelves are for ‘short’ people.

A Coles shopper complained about the store’s placement of some of its milk ranges. Credit: Twitter.
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A spokesperson for Coles has already addressed the woman’s claims and issued a statement.

“Coles welcomes feedback to help us offer the best customer experience and all stores have friendly team members available to assist customers if required,” they said.

“Our shelf layouts are set out to ensure our most popular products are readily available to customers.”

“We work hard to ensure our stores are accessible and easy to shop and will pass on this feedback to the relevant teams.”

Several users online also gave their opinions regarding the issue, and most of them agreed that the woman could have simply asked a Coles team member or another shopper to help her.

“Ask another customer to reach up and get the item for you, I do that all the time,” one person wrote. “I'm short too, but I ask taller people around to get for me,” said another.

On the other hand, another user understood the woman’s sentiments. “Sometimes, shorter people would just like to do their own shopping without asking for help for hard to reach items,” they said.

Not just in Coles, but in a majority of the supermarkets, workers usually place the heavier items on the lower shelves. This is to avoid the risks of customers getting injured from pulling a heavy product at such a high place.

What are your thoughts, folks? Should supermarkets lower their shelves for customers?

 

[nann]

I'm also short and have trouble reaching the top shelf, many times I have asked either a staff member or another customer to assist me. I also have issues reaching things that are on the botton shelf and right up the back of the shelf, due to severe arthritis limiting my mobility. This can be overcome by staff making certain items are always brought forward as stock in front is used. It's not only supermarkets some shops have clothes hanging on a top rack, which is very difficult for short people to reach, I sometimes end up just pulling the article off the hanger to get it down. I suppose it's difficult to please everyone in the way items are presented for sale.