Shopper slams Coles after accusing her while at self-serve checkout: ‘I was embarrassed’
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Navigating the self-checkout lanes at supermarkets can be a convenient time-saver, but for one Coles shopper, it turned into an unexpected ordeal that left her mortified.
Jade Zane experienced a distressing accusation from a self-checkout supervisor. This has sparked a conversation about customer treatment and the reliance on automated systems in our local stores.
Jade's shopping trip was meant to be quick—she only needed 'one or two things' and didn't bother with a basket.
However, as she approached the self-checkout with her arms full, she encountered a technical hiccup that would soon escalate into an embarrassing confrontation.
As she placed a capsicum on the scale, the machine suddenly ‘stopped working’, prompting her to seek assistance from the supervisor.
To her shock, the Coles worker accused her of attempting to steal based on video footage that appeared on the screen.
The accusation was blunt and public: 'You just tried to steal.'
Jade, taken aback by the claim, vehemently denied the charge, expressing her disbelief and frustration with a few choice words.
‘I was embarrassed and shocked, to be honest,’ she said.
‘He [the worker] kept saying it when I was trying to explain.’
‘"Excuse me, I did not try to steal, you m**********r'. And he goes, “Yes, you did look.”’
The situation intensified as the supervisor persisted with the allegation, only to backtrack after realising his mistake and offering an apology.
‘When I got annoyed... he realised he was wrong,’ Jade said.
‘Like, who the f**k are you to accuse someone of stealing if you haven't seen it first.’
She wondered why the supermarket ‘doesn't want people to steal’ yet doesn't have more worker-manned checkouts in operation.
‘Firstly, people make mistakes, but if the stealing is that bad, open cash registers. I'm assuming people who steal won't be scanning their items in the first place,’ Jade said.
Jade's experience is not an isolated incident.
After sharing her story on social media, it became clear that other Coles customers have faced similar situations.
‘Coles camera always picks up my handbag as a roast chook,’ one said, with a parent adding they've had their toddler flagged as a suspected stolen item.
‘We are sick of being stalked and accused while doing your unpaid work at the grocery scanner. Open the checkouts if you don't trust us,’ another said.
In response to the incident and the ensuing public outcry, Coles has issued an apology.
‘This is certainly not reflective of how our team usually interact with customers,’ a Coles spokesperson said.
‘We encourage our customers to share this type of feedback with us directly so we can investigate and improve the in-store experience for our customers.’
You can watch Jade’s video below (Disclaimer: This video contains offensive language):
Credit: @jademariezane / TikTok
However, self-serve checkouts have been an ongoing issue for shoppers.
In a previous story, a Coles shopper experienced a new demand at a self-serve checkout where they were told how to bag products.
This issue sparked discussion about the supermarket’s self-service policies. You can read more about the story here.
Have you encountered similar issues? Do you prefer the traditional checkout with a human touch, or do you embrace the self-service option? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
Jade Zane experienced a distressing accusation from a self-checkout supervisor. This has sparked a conversation about customer treatment and the reliance on automated systems in our local stores.
Jade's shopping trip was meant to be quick—she only needed 'one or two things' and didn't bother with a basket.
However, as she approached the self-checkout with her arms full, she encountered a technical hiccup that would soon escalate into an embarrassing confrontation.
Coles shopper Jade encountered a distressing situation at the self-serve checkout. Credit: @jademariezane / TikTok
As she placed a capsicum on the scale, the machine suddenly ‘stopped working’, prompting her to seek assistance from the supervisor.
To her shock, the Coles worker accused her of attempting to steal based on video footage that appeared on the screen.
The accusation was blunt and public: 'You just tried to steal.'
Jade, taken aback by the claim, vehemently denied the charge, expressing her disbelief and frustration with a few choice words.
‘I was embarrassed and shocked, to be honest,’ she said.
‘He [the worker] kept saying it when I was trying to explain.’
‘"Excuse me, I did not try to steal, you m**********r'. And he goes, “Yes, you did look.”’
The situation intensified as the supervisor persisted with the allegation, only to backtrack after realising his mistake and offering an apology.
‘When I got annoyed... he realised he was wrong,’ Jade said.
‘Like, who the f**k are you to accuse someone of stealing if you haven't seen it first.’
She wondered why the supermarket ‘doesn't want people to steal’ yet doesn't have more worker-manned checkouts in operation.
‘Firstly, people make mistakes, but if the stealing is that bad, open cash registers. I'm assuming people who steal won't be scanning their items in the first place,’ Jade said.
Jade's experience is not an isolated incident.
After sharing her story on social media, it became clear that other Coles customers have faced similar situations.
‘Coles camera always picks up my handbag as a roast chook,’ one said, with a parent adding they've had their toddler flagged as a suspected stolen item.
‘We are sick of being stalked and accused while doing your unpaid work at the grocery scanner. Open the checkouts if you don't trust us,’ another said.
In response to the incident and the ensuing public outcry, Coles has issued an apology.
‘This is certainly not reflective of how our team usually interact with customers,’ a Coles spokesperson said.
‘We encourage our customers to share this type of feedback with us directly so we can investigate and improve the in-store experience for our customers.’
You can watch Jade’s video below (Disclaimer: This video contains offensive language):
Credit: @jademariezane / TikTok
However, self-serve checkouts have been an ongoing issue for shoppers.
In a previous story, a Coles shopper experienced a new demand at a self-serve checkout where they were told how to bag products.
This issue sparked discussion about the supermarket’s self-service policies. You can read more about the story here.
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