This photo of an elderly woman at Coles has outraged thousands of Aussies
- Replies 49
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Last edited by a moderator:
.png){kind=icon}
