Unnerving photo reveals gross secret in Coles—questions arise about responsibility
- Replies 16
When we head to our local supermarket, we expect a certain level of cleanliness and order, especially regarding the food we buy to nourish ourselves and our families.
However, a recent incident at a Coles supermarket has left customers and the public in a heated debate over a rather unsavoury discovery.
A photograph on social media depicted a distressing scene: broken eggs left abandoned on a shelf in the fridge section of a Coles store in Melbourne.
The image, which showed the messy aftermath of what one can only assume was an accidental breakage, quickly became a topic of contention.
The customer who snapped the photo claimed that staff ignored the broken eggs and the resulting foul smell for at least 30 minutes.
This claim sparked outrage among some shoppers, who felt the supermarket's employees should have acted more swiftly to clean up the mess.
‘There was a broken egg somewhere on the shelf, the smell was horrible, and not one person cleaned it up,’ one said.
‘I stopped buying eggs there. I couldn't stand the stink in the aisle.’
‘I have seen the same in our Coles store too in the middle of the week, (I) no longer shop there... No pride, no respect these days,’ another commented.
On the other hand, a former supermarket manager weighed in, deeming the state of the shelf 'unacceptable' and suggesting that the space could have been filled with another product to boost sales.
‘Fill the empty space with a product that will make an extra (revenue) ate the register,’ they stated.
'Customers pay wages with their purchases, plus the sale of eggs could have compensated for the 10 minutes required cleaning.’
Yet, not everyone was quick to point the finger at Coles staff. Other users criticised the original poster for not taking action themselves, questioning why they spent half an hour observing the situation instead of notifying a staff member.
‘You have time to stare at eggs for 30mins but not notify any staff,’ a social media user wrote.
‘They have things to do, and looking at eggs, I bet, isn't on their mind.’
In response to the uproar, a Coles spokesperson stated that the company 'takes food safety extremely seriously and our teams work hard and pride themselves on keeping a clean and hygienic environment in all our stores.'
‘Our shelves are thoroughly cleaned regularly, and in relation to the photo you have provided, this appears to be an isolated situation.’ the spokesperson said.
This messy situation comes when supermarkets like Coles and Woolworths are already grappling with egg supply issues due to avian flu outbreaks, leading to rationing of egg purchases.
Even McDonald's has felt the impact, adjusting its breakfast menu timings to conserve egg usage.
Australian Eggs' boss Rowan McMonnies offered hope, assuring consumers that eggs would still be available for those willing to shop around, even if some stores faced temporary shortages.
‘If you want eggs, you will get them,’ he said.
In related news, Coles supermarkets have implemented a temporary limit of two cartons per customer on egg purchases due to a supply shortage.
This shortage is caused by reduced egg production following chicken culls necessitated by bird flu outbreaks. For more information, click here.
Have you ever encountered a similar situation in your local supermarket? How did you respond, and how was the staff handling it? Share your experiences in the comments below.
However, a recent incident at a Coles supermarket has left customers and the public in a heated debate over a rather unsavoury discovery.
A photograph on social media depicted a distressing scene: broken eggs left abandoned on a shelf in the fridge section of a Coles store in Melbourne.
The image, which showed the messy aftermath of what one can only assume was an accidental breakage, quickly became a topic of contention.
The customer who snapped the photo claimed that staff ignored the broken eggs and the resulting foul smell for at least 30 minutes.
Coles criticised after shopper finds unattended broken eggs on a shelf; staff reportedly ignored for 30 minutes. Credit: Facebook
This claim sparked outrage among some shoppers, who felt the supermarket's employees should have acted more swiftly to clean up the mess.
‘There was a broken egg somewhere on the shelf, the smell was horrible, and not one person cleaned it up,’ one said.
‘I stopped buying eggs there. I couldn't stand the stink in the aisle.’
‘I have seen the same in our Coles store too in the middle of the week, (I) no longer shop there... No pride, no respect these days,’ another commented.
On the other hand, a former supermarket manager weighed in, deeming the state of the shelf 'unacceptable' and suggesting that the space could have been filled with another product to boost sales.
‘Fill the empty space with a product that will make an extra (revenue) ate the register,’ they stated.
'Customers pay wages with their purchases, plus the sale of eggs could have compensated for the 10 minutes required cleaning.’
Yet, not everyone was quick to point the finger at Coles staff. Other users criticised the original poster for not taking action themselves, questioning why they spent half an hour observing the situation instead of notifying a staff member.
‘You have time to stare at eggs for 30mins but not notify any staff,’ a social media user wrote.
‘They have things to do, and looking at eggs, I bet, isn't on their mind.’
In response to the uproar, a Coles spokesperson stated that the company 'takes food safety extremely seriously and our teams work hard and pride themselves on keeping a clean and hygienic environment in all our stores.'
‘Our shelves are thoroughly cleaned regularly, and in relation to the photo you have provided, this appears to be an isolated situation.’ the spokesperson said.
This messy situation comes when supermarkets like Coles and Woolworths are already grappling with egg supply issues due to avian flu outbreaks, leading to rationing of egg purchases.
Even McDonald's has felt the impact, adjusting its breakfast menu timings to conserve egg usage.
Australian Eggs' boss Rowan McMonnies offered hope, assuring consumers that eggs would still be available for those willing to shop around, even if some stores faced temporary shortages.
‘If you want eggs, you will get them,’ he said.
In related news, Coles supermarkets have implemented a temporary limit of two cartons per customer on egg purchases due to a supply shortage.
This shortage is caused by reduced egg production following chicken culls necessitated by bird flu outbreaks. For more information, click here.
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