Shopper’s shocking 'money-saving' tip sparks outrage among customers

As living costs rise and Aussies tighten household budgets, it's no surprise that many of us are looking for ways to save a few dollars.

However, one Coles shopper's attempt at frugality stirred a debate about the line between savvy shopping and selfish behaviour.


In a now-deleted post, a woman at the Coles produce section decided to cut a carrot in half and claimed she only needed half for her lunch.

She then returned the remaining half to the shelf.

She shared this 'money-saving' tip on social media, igniting a fierce debate about the ethics of such actions.


compressed-carrots.jpeg
Carrots can be used in multiple ways and has a shelf life of three to five days unrefrigerated. Image Credit: Pexels/Pixabay


'I don't think it's a good and fair thing to do—there's not much waste on a carrot,' one commenter wrote.

'I do want to say that broccoli stems should be trimmed by the workers as they are getting longer and longer, it seems,' the commenter added.

It's not just about the carrot but about the principle of the matter.

Breaking produce and leaving it implies disregard for the next customer and the store's operations.


'The same people who do this are the ones that complain about cost increases,' a second wrote.

'People will not buy the other half of the vege you have put your hands all over. This results in less profit for the already greedy supermarket so that they will increase prices even more.'

What constitutes wastefulness versus rightful consumer behaviour was at the heart of the debate.

'At best, it's wasteful. At worst, the store would be perfectly within their rights to request customers to now pay for the entire piece of fruit or veg they have damaged, or could in theory even ask for charges for willful damage,' someone wrote.

'What a selfish thing to do,' a fourth said.


This is not the first time Aussie shoppers were caught using controversial cost-cutting measures.

Similar incidents occurred with broccoli, where several customers snapped off stems to reduce the weight and the price.

Some supermarkets already posted notices asking customers to refrain from this practice.

As we navigate these challenging economic times and food insecurity, it's essential to consider the impact of our actions on the community and the businesses we rely on.

While saving money is essential, so is maintaining a sense of collective responsibility and respect.

We understand the importance of stretching your dollar further, but we also know the value of ethical shopping practices.
Key Takeaways

  • A shopper caused controversy by breaking a carrot in half in Coles, leaving the unwanted half in the produce section as a 'money-saving' strategy.
  • Her actions sparked a debate on social media, with some calling it wasteful and selfish while highlighting hygiene concerns.
  • The incident led to discussions about shopper behaviour, as some brought up the issue of snapping broccoli stalks to save money.
  • The behaviour of such shoppers has been linked to rising living costs and raised concerns about food waste and balancing fair use of supermarket produce.
Have you witnessed similar behaviour in your local supermarket? What can supermarkets do to prevent this practice? Share your thoughts on this issue in the comments section below.
 
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Yes, that is one option to use the stem, but I have chopped the stem into smaller pieces and put them in a soup being cooked. Once soup is cooked I just liquidise everything and you wouldn’t even taste any individual vegetables. Recently a pumpkin soup had some carrot, broccoli, spinach and potato mixed in - all extra vegies were too little for 2 to share but didn’t make much difference in taste of the pumpkin soup. One way of using small left over amounts.
 
While in shopping in my local Woolworths , I saw a man pulling off the stalks of mushrooms he was putting in a bag , he told me he does it all the time as doesn’t eat the stalks so why should he pay for them , he also said he does the same with broccoli stalks if he can snap it off he does .Personally I cook stalks .
 
Why would anyone remove Broccoli stems? Cut them close to the flowerets, peel and cook with the rest. Delicious!
People with bowel problems, eg IBS or diverticulitis can’t always tolerate broccoli stems. My husband ends up with severe gut pain if he consumes the stems so we chop off & compost them.
 
Leaving half a carrot is not acceptable behaviour as it will not be sold and therefore wasted. Stupid idea especially recommending this action to others.
 
Why would someone only need half a carrot? I've never seen a recipe as such, and you'd just eat the remainder raw anyway.

I saw a woman taking all the stalks off the cherries in a bag! Now I know they are an expensive item but really how much extra could they have weighed? It took her at least a 10 minutes standing around at f & v in Coles.
 
This is why some produce is packed in plastic, so you have to buy the whole bag. Really jusy buy the whole carrot and keep the rest for another meal. Stupid and inconsiderate.
 
Why would someone only need half a carrot? I've never seen a recipe as such, and you'd just eat the remainder raw anyway.

I saw a woman taking all the stalks off the cherries in a bag! Now I know they are an expensive item but really how much extra could they have weighed? It took her at least a 10 minutes standing around at f & v in Coles.
She probably saved a whole 15 cents
 
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I bought 4 carrots this morning, I need 1 for tonight and 1 for tomorrow, The others I've chopped up and frozen for when I need them or even maybe a soup would be good now it's winter.
 

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