Let’s face it, who doesn’t fancy scoring free grocery items? Considering the recent price hike in groceries, petrol, and pretty much everything else, having one less thing (or several) to spend on sounds like a gift from the heavens nowadays.

If you’re wondering whether this trick is too good to be true, one Woolworths shopper explained the gritty details on TikTok. He showed how he recently picked up $31.80 worth of groceries without spending a single penny.

TikTok user @ThisIsDopeOz explained that he used vouchers as well as cash that accumulated from recycling cans and bottles.

Recycling giant Tomra placed Reverse Vending Machines (RVM) connected to Woolworths stores across New South Wales, Western Australia, and Queensland. They are the very first retail refund partner for the system.

Did someone say ‘free groceries’? Image Credit: @thisisdopeoz​

The way it works is customers are given the option to feed the vending machines with certain cans and plastic bottles in exchange for 10 cents per item.

To redeem their money, shoppers can scan the barcode on their voucher at the automated checkouts or with the assistance of a Woolworths team member at a manned checkout.

In his clip, the shopper demonstrated how effortless it was to walk away with groceries without paying (legally, of course).

“This is sick, appreciate it,” he wrote. “Yeah, free groceries. I’m not complaining!”

Video Credit: @thisisdopeoz​

A spokesperson from Woolworths said that the RVMs are easy for anyone to use.

“Our partnership with Tomra provides customers with a great way to save money and increase their recycling at the same time!“ the spokesperson shared.

“Tomra provides reverse vending machines in a number of communities, where customers can return their containers and receive a refund of 10 cents for every piece,”

“We’re pleased to support recycling by accepting these vouchers in our stores, offering customers the choice to use their voucher towards their shop or receive a cash refund.”

Ever since collaborating with Tomra, the RVMs in New South Wales alone have collected a whopping total of 1.05 billion containers. We don’t know about you but saving the planet AND a few bucks on groceries is definitely a win-win situation.

Have you stumbled on an RVM in your local Woolworths store? What are your thoughts on this story? Share them with us in the comments!

Learn how you can use a reverse vending machine by watching the video below:

Video Credit: NSW Government​

 

[JayKay]

Why is Victoria so far behind in this scheme?

 

[Maritz41]

Where in Sydney are these machines please?

 

[Lily]

Why is it not in ACT?

 

[Ricci]

I get about $30 a year from recycling cans and bottles. but lets be real here folk. He's not getting his groceries for free, he's already spent hundreds on drinks to get the empties. Sure, it's a better return than no refund but I suggest that a better return is to always scan your loyalty card and opt for the $10 discount rewards.

 

[gollywog]

I'm from South Australia and we had 2 of these machines installed outside our local Shopping Centre quite a few years ago. They didn't last very long because they were being vandalised and broken into for the money. Maybe they should have been installed inside the Shopping Centre and only available during business hours. It was a good idea for the people who couldn't get to the recycling depots and only had a few bottles to get rid of.

 

[Dragonlady16]

Good if you have the means and time to cart 318 cans, bottles, tetra packs, to the recycling centre and then put them through the holes. This would take lots of time and effort, just give them to sports groups, Guides or Scouts, give them the reward, as they need every cent on offer.

 

[Noraya]

I have one former Tomra, now Return & Earn machine near me that gives Woolworth vouchers, and another one near a Coles that gives you Coles Vouchers. But I connected Return & Earn to my PayPal account and the money goes straight in there! So I dont have to buy at a supermarket, I can use it for anything!
In Germany, where this recycling system has been around for ages, every single Supermarket, even smaller ones, has one of the machines either right at the front door or somewhere in the shop. so you return your bottles from your (re usable) shopping bag, grab your voucher, do your shopping, refill the bag with your shopping and hand in the voucher to the checkout person before paying the rest. That way you wont lose your voucher, either

 

[tomtom]

Wouldn't it be great if this happened in Victoria - the behind state - they are hot on recycling but don't have amenities other than an extra rubbish bin - P--s poor Victoria.

 

[Jonathan Leane]

Hey @Maritz41 - check this link out: https://returnandearn.org.au/return-points/

 

[Ricci]

We have a recycling depot near us, a big, noisy revolving drum that automatically sorts bottles from cans and cartons, counts each type and prints a code. You take that printout to a window, scan your bankcard and the credit goes directly into your a/c. No more standing posting bottles etc into a little hole and getting a supermarket voucher. It saves a lot of time and the money into your a/c means you can spend it on whatever.

 

[LH2022]

Did you know...
Coles and Woolies
If your product scans the wrong price, you get it free. Yes! Know your prices and carefully watch as scanning. I've had many items scan wrong and yes I tell the employee, they confirm and return my money and I still get the item. There are little signs on the checkouts that confirm this fact.

 

[LH2022]

Another way to get free groceries is to just steal them. I was horrified at the Fremantle Coles to personally witness a group of young teen schoolgirls (in their school uniforms), roaming the isles and stuffing their mouths and pockets. I pointed them out to security who refused to do anything. I pointed them out to a store employee, who witnessed them going through the self serve but paying for nothing. She refused to do or say anything. I reported them to the store manager. Yep, you guessed it. He refused to do or say anything. These girls were sitting on the floor right outside the Coles store in the mall and were laughing and very loud about their stolen haul (which they ate right there only a few meters from all three people I reported to. Each said to me, "What do you expect me to do about it?" I said, "confront them, take the goods back, ban them from the store, call the police, something, ANYTHING!!" I was told by the store manager that they are instructed to never confront a thief. He openly admitted those same girls (and many more) come every single day and fill their pockets.

So there you go people. How freaking disgusting is that?

I see that store has now closed permanently. Well it's no wonder is it!

 

[Jargan]

We don’t have them in Victoria

 

[Singomate]

Another way to get free groceries is to just steal them. I was horrified at the Fremantle Coles to personally witness a group of young teen schoolgirls (in their school uniforms), roaming the isles and stuffing their mouths and pockets. I pointed them out to security who refused to do anything. I pointed them out to a store employee, who witnessed them going through the self serve but paying for nothing. She refused to do or say anything. I reported them to the store manager. Yep, you guessed it. He refused to do or say anything. These girls were sitting on the floor right outside the Coles store in the mall and were laughing and very loud about their stolen haul (which they ate right there only a few meters from all three people I reported to. Each said to me, "What do you expect me to do about it?" I said, "confront them, take the goods back, ban them from the store, call the police, something, ANYTHING!!" I was told by the store manager that they are instructed to never confront a thief. He openly admitted those same girls (and many more) come every single day and fill their pockets.

So there you go people. How freaking disgusting is that?

I see that store has now closed permanently. Well it's no wonder is it!

I'm sorry it all begins at home,bad parenting, no discipline, same at school Teachers are abused and attacked,Police have their hands tied when it comes to crime by these entitled Children.

 

[Cribbagemaster]

Where in Sydney are these machines please?

They're all over the place. Just Google it, and it will show you the ones closest to you.

 

[Jargan]

Another way to get free groceries is to just steal them. I was horrified at the Fremantle Coles to personally witness a group of young teen schoolgirls (in their school uniforms), roaming the isles and stuffing their mouths and pockets. I pointed them out to security who refused to do anything. I pointed them out to a store employee, who witnessed them going through the self serve but paying for nothing. She refused to do or say anything. I reported them to the store manager. Yep, you guessed it. He refused to do or say anything. These girls were sitting on the floor right outside the Coles store in the mall and were laughing and very loud about their stolen haul (which they ate right there only a few meters from all three people I reported to. Each said to me, "What do you expect me to do about it?" I said, "confront them, take the goods back, ban them from the store, call the police, something, ANYTHING!!" I was told by the store manager that they are instructed to never confront a thief. He openly admitted those same girls (and many more) come every single day and fill their pockets.

So there you go people. How freaking disgusting is that?

I see that store has now closed permanently. Well it's no wonder is it!

 

[Jargan]

This happens in all supermarkets and in Bunnings. Staff are instructed not to confront thieves. How do we teach thieves if they can’t be punished. The really scary thing is that the majority are school children and they scarily they are our future. What Hope have we the honest people got.

 

[Robbo3006]

What a croc of crap, so Woolworths think your time and effort are free, unpaid work for the man, recycling is great but go to vinnies recycling, no wasting time, dump the recyclables on their conveyor, it's all done for you and the money is in your bank, immediately. How can anyone think that their time in ok to be considered free, it's all we've really got, a short time on Earth.