This photo of an elderly woman at Coles has outraged thousands of Aussies

UPDATE: Only hours after this story was published, new details about the story were released. We would NEVER want to mislead anyone, so we believe it's necessary to include this unexpected twist. The SDC understands that the woman in the photo was pretending to be an elderly shopper and was found with a questionable amount of groceries. The authorities later confirmed that the 32-year-old woman was shoplifting.

In a society that prides itself on mateship and a fair go, it's no wonder that a recent image circulating on social media has struck a chord with Australians nationwide.

The photograph in question shows a distressing scene outside a Coles supermarket, where police officers are seen digging into the contents of an elderly woman's grocery shopping.


The photograph, taken in Melbourne, was shared online with the caption: ‘I just saw a poor old lady get forcibly arrested by police and Coles staff for shoplifting food.’

The poster, who witnessed the event, said, ‘I told the police that I'll pay for her food and let her go and then I got threatened with being arrested for "obstructing police." Boycott Coles and Woolworths.’

‘This lady also had a speech disability which makes it 1000000x worse that the police and Coles staff did this!’ notes the original poster.


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According to Professor Nicholas Biddle of the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods, Almost 25 per cent of Aussies do not have trust in the police. Image Source: X / @Sonny_1NC


This incident sparked a heated online debate, with commenters divided.

Some argue that the law must be upheld, regardless of the circumstances.

One user even replied, ‘There are a lot of reasons to boycott a store. Stopping thieves isn’t one of them.’


Most of the comments, however, were calling for compassion, pointing out the broader issue of pensioners struggling to afford basic necessities.

One user commented, ‘This is so messed up. If people are forced to steal food, we need a better alternative.'

Another user added, ‘Terrible in this country, but elderly do not have enough to live on, pension rises are not covering food & utility price rises & [governments] couldn't care less.’

While another user said, ‘A decent police officer would have paid for the groceries and driven her home.’

The Victoria Police has yet to comment on the matter.


The image and the story behind it have become a symbol of a larger societal problem—the financial pressures faced by the elderly in Australia.

With pension increases failing to keep pace with the rising costs of food and utilities, many seniors find themselves in dire straits.

This incident also comes at a time when the profits and practices of major supermarkets are under intense scrutiny.

Woolworths, for example, reported a staggering $1.7 billion profit in the last financial year.


Source: YouTube/ABC News (Australia)


Yet, when Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci was questioned at a Senate inquiry into supermarket pricing, he faced a potential six-month jail sentence and a $5,000 fine for failing to disclose the company's return on equity—a key profitability measure.

The inquiry, chaired by Greens senator Nick McKim, was temporarily suspended due to Mr Banducci's non-disclosure, highlighting the tension between corporate accountability and the public's expected financial transparency.

Key Takeaways

  • A photograph shared on social media showing police officers inspecting an elderly woman's groceries in Melbourne sparked public outrage.
  • The social media post alleges the woman was accused of shoplifting and the poster claims they were threatened with arrest when offering to pay for the woman's groceries.
  • Woolworths and Coles come under scrutiny, especially in light of soaring profits and accusations of price gouging. At the same time, Woolworths' CEO faces potential legal consequences for failing to disclose financial details during a Senate inquiry.

Amidst this backdrop, the plight of the elderly woman at Coles has become emblematic of the broader cost-of-living crisis affecting many Australians.

The International Monetary Fund's latest World Economic Outlook doesn't offer much hope for immediate relief, with projections indicating that Australia's inflation rates will remain at the higher end of the Reserve Bank's target band through 2025.

We encourage our community to not only be vigilant about their rights as consumers but also to lend a helping hand to those in need whenever possible.

We'd love to hear your thoughts on this incident and the broader issues it raises. Have you or someone you know faced similar challenges? Let us know in the comments below.
 
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In general I don’t support thieves and liars but in this case it’s obvious this elderly lady needs help, she possibly has degenerative issues, she doesn’t need the police bullying her I sincerely hope some kind person paid for her groceries and the police referred her for welfare help.
 
In general I don’t support thieves and liars but in this case it’s obvious this elderly lady needs help, she possibly has degenerative issues, she doesn’t need the police bullying her I sincerely hope some kind person paid for her groceries and the police referred her for welfare help.
Read more replies, she wasn't an old woman, she was 32 disguised as an old woman
 
You might excuse it in some circumstances but I DO NOT I worked hard all my life and saved so I wouldn't be desperate at this age - some choose lifestyle over saving and that's their choice but mine was to take care of myself, I have no sympathy for anyone who steals and I mean no one.
Again….. I never wrote anything about excusing anyone for stealing, and of course it’s never okay……. I just provided an observation……which was basically, that in extreme circumstances temptation to steal things like food, is always there………my point is that circumstances so dire should not exist…..food and shelter and medicine should be available to everyone and no one should want for the basics in order to live safely……
 
Unfortunately, theft is theft. I am not saying she should or should not be punished for the crime she may have committed but perhaps a bit of a background check if she was struggling big time may be a better part of discretion. Did you know that with all of the powers that the police have, they also have a 'power of discretion'?
Dizzie47..... Police can be wearing any kind of clothing, uniform or plain clothes. If involved in a police matter and instructed to investigate, providing they show proper identification, then everything is above board. (my daughter is a cop)
 
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When budget time comes there generally isn't much changes for pensioners. Tax relief, childcare bonus, back to school bonus, first home buyers incentives etc Pensioners may get a couple of dollars per fortnight increase. Wooppee
Self funded retirees get less.
At least pensioners have cheaper medication. Again wooppee.
Pretty bad when someone needs to steal food because they can't afford it.
People do forget they will also be aged one day
 
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After reading the full story, I realise the woman was younger and in diguise and a true thief. However, I think thieving is made easier because of the self check out system implemented by the major supermarkets. I very rarely use self check out, only if I have one or two items, but while waiting in line at a regular check out I have seen many people at self check out sneakily putting items in their bags that have not been scanned. Bring back regular check outs, with friendly customer service and maybe shoplifting can be limited too.
 
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Reactions: Observer
After reading the full story, I realise the woman was younger and in diguise and a true thief. However, I think thieving is made easier because of the self check out system implemented by the major supermarkets. I very rarely use self check out, only if I have one or two items, but while waiting in line at a regular check out I have seen many people at self check out sneakily putting items in their bags that have not been scanned. Bring back regular check outs, with friendly customer service and maybe shoplifting can be limited too.
100%
 

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