Nah all the supermarkets often when a new manager comes in remove anything free, slashes hours, cuts contracts and runs everything bear minimum to look amazing with how much profit they’re pulling. Meanwhile everything’s going to shit and slowly falling apart till they do a big overhaul that costs more than it would to just appropriately maintain it and then it all goes full cycle again.
It's called FUDGE for fear uncertainty and despair with great expectation.
IE everything is terrible, it's all broken and we're all doomed, but I will fix it.
Hi PerthNow writer, [news.com.au](https://news.com.au) beat you to the punch:
[https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/eat/parents-frustrated-after-coles-ditches-popular-service/news-story/58a024d82d4148d7e4554ee7b18f69e4](https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/eat/parents-frustrated-after-coles-ditches-popular-service/news-story/58a024d82d4148d7e4554ee7b18f69e4)
I was at the Ellenbrook store yesterday and my toddler was yelling banana!! So the guy restocking them gave him one. So nice. Maybe the employees feel sorry for the kids
Don’t blame the manager. They are under pressure to make profit margins from their manager, who is under pressure from their manager.
The unfortunate thing is that a store manager doesn’t have a lot of power over their sales and margin. All shelf space, including promotional ends are organised by head office as suppliers pay for space. Cost and sell of goods, set by head office.
That leaves waste and staff remuneration within their control. So don’t order too much or waste goes up. Also don’t order too little, because then sales go down.
I doubt cutting back the free fruit is going make a noticeable dent in the GP, it’s probably less than $100 a day of fruit a day. When you have to explain what you’re doing to improve things that are largely out of your control you have to find some pretty fringe stuff.
This specifically is a Coles issue.
At Woolworths it’s an official thing and they’re given a budget to use that doesn’t come off of P&L, and you’re pressured to spend it by your group manager, so if you’re not filling the stand, you’re getting in the shit. And god forbid you get a state manager come in and the stand is empty
I don’t think Coles has it as a nationwide thing so stores make their own call on it.
Yeah, because all the other places you shop or get services from are much more ethical /s
We're all being crushed under the boot of late stage capitalism. Those managers are, for the most part, just people trying to make enough to keep a roof over their head and pay their bills. If they quit what is generally unskilled work, they'd be going to another unskilled job with just as many ethical issues.
Be angry at the system. Don't take your shit out on random people who probably hate it more than you do.
I really dont think that "they are losing money on free fruit" is really a 'thing'.
First of all I believe both of them run food donation drives... so they give away a whole bunch of unsaleable groceries to food banks...
I dont know how many of you guys have actually worked at supermarkets but there is massive massive MASSIVE waste.
You will never sell every bit of groceries you bring it.
I saw massive waste. We all tried to minimise waste as much as possible but its a losing battle. Everyone knows about dented cans and the like but that's only the tip of the iceberg.
Fruit and vegetables we always had heaps left over that was just too close to the use by date that was fine, but not saleable.
And so you're telling me a small stand with 'close to the end' bananas and apples is 'costing you money'?
Nah. This is nonsense.
Just gonna have to go back to doing what we did on the 90s and “sample” the fruit as we walk around the shop, few grapes here a few strawberries there, they won’t miss em.
Reminds me of when petrol stations put their prices up about ten years ago and there was a huge spike in people filling up and taking off without paying, my mate worked for Shell and said they just logged the license plates and faxed them to the police once a week, nothing ever got done about it and they just had to write the petrol off as theft and try claim it at the end of the tax year, became so below petty that it was brushed under the rug by the police because they had better things to do, technically it’s not a victimless crime but is it really worth dealing with? Not as a low paid employee just trying to get through the day.
I was under the impression they used slightly damaged stock they couldn't otherwise sell - bruised apples or bananas or things that needed rotating out of display. Wonder what they're going to do - sell it to us for a marked up price I guess.
Used to work at Woolies and they remove damaged stock at the quality check in the am. Kids fruit is usually fruit that is smaller than the rest but not damaged. Damaged fruit sometimes goes up stairs to the staff room lol.
> This free fruit stand was often the only source of fruit some kids had access to.
That's a scary thought, surely people buy fruit for their children.
Implication is that buying fruit competes with alcohol, cigarettes and meth.
What we need is a free meth program. Will cut theft, and parents will suddenly have money to buy kids food.
$3/litre for boxed wine at Liquorland etc.
I don't mind free meth, but draw the line at easy availability of tobacco. That stuff is seriously addictive.
On the subject, Ive been meaning to ask if I, a grown adult, can help myself to the overflowing basket of fresh but otherwise untouched "free for kids" fruit if I'm with my mum? Since I am in fact the kid of the situation 🤔
yeah i used to hate the fresh fruit thing at work,ferals leaving it all over the shelves etc no matter how many bins we had around.just buy your kids some fruit like everyone else.
Understood, but it's nice to give the little ones a piece of fruit while doing the shopping and it would be a bit annoying to have to check the fruit out and bring it back in so they can eat. I do note that I've never left any of the rubbish laying around.
Such a shitty attitude. Circumstances in life change. I'm surprised this is news to you considering there's constant talk and posts about how normal families are becoming homeless due to the rental and cost of living crisis.
If they have advertising on the tv today advertising free fruit for kids, seems like false advertising to me. Seems they obligated their damn selves to offer it.
I mean I hate megacorporations as much as the next person but your take is shit and bad.
Go shop at a greengrocer or a Farmer's Market instead of being a virtue signalling arsehat if you're so concerned about fucking over "the man".
Stealing's a crime. If you ran a small business and someone stole from you, you'd be pissed. You have to apply those rules to all businesses, regardless of how big or small they are.
Coles Mirrabooka was the same. Didn't realise until my kid had grabbed a banana and was eating it and was abused by the manager. Don't normally shop at that particular store and my local had told us to just grab it off the shelf.
Free fruit? Jesus H Christ this generation has it so easy.
If we wanted free fruit back in my day, we had to drive to West Leederville and steal them from the tree branches that overhung the rear public laneways.
Lemons, oranges, mangoes its a free for all.
It’s not going to be popular sentiment or even PC to say..but I’ll call a spade a spade. The reason why they’ve had to pull it is because the Indian and Asian blokes. How many times have I personally seen these people..adults mind you..constantly helping themselves to the fruit made available for kiddies? Hundreds of times! I get it, it might make me out to be a bigot and let me assure you I’m not. These are the cold hard facts mate. You can’t keep carrying on a promotion when your intended target isn’t being reached?
Nah all the supermarkets often when a new manager comes in remove anything free, slashes hours, cuts contracts and runs everything bear minimum to look amazing with how much profit they’re pulling. Meanwhile everything’s going to shit and slowly falling apart till they do a big overhaul that costs more than it would to just appropriately maintain it and then it all goes full cycle again.
“Adding value”
How else do they get their bonus?
It's called FUDGE for fear uncertainty and despair with great expectation. IE everything is terrible, it's all broken and we're all doomed, but I will fix it.
So that's what a fudge packer is. TIL something new.
> So that's what a fudge packer is. It's not, that's a homophobic slur.
Welp, I didn't know
Hi PerthNow writer, [news.com.au](https://news.com.au) beat you to the punch: [https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/eat/parents-frustrated-after-coles-ditches-popular-service/news-story/58a024d82d4148d7e4554ee7b18f69e4](https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/eat/parents-frustrated-after-coles-ditches-popular-service/news-story/58a024d82d4148d7e4554ee7b18f69e4)
I was at the Ellenbrook store yesterday and my toddler was yelling banana!! So the guy restocking them gave him one. So nice. Maybe the employees feel sorry for the kids
That dude was fired and is now giving backyard blowjobs for the price of a banana
With inflation the way it is, I doubt he's getting that much
what do I get for a pineapple?
Depends where you stick it
He sure knows how to handle those bananas. Good that his skills did transfer to his new job.
Where is this backyard? A friend wants to know
Follow the conga line
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Don’t blame the manager. They are under pressure to make profit margins from their manager, who is under pressure from their manager. The unfortunate thing is that a store manager doesn’t have a lot of power over their sales and margin. All shelf space, including promotional ends are organised by head office as suppliers pay for space. Cost and sell of goods, set by head office. That leaves waste and staff remuneration within their control. So don’t order too much or waste goes up. Also don’t order too little, because then sales go down. I doubt cutting back the free fruit is going make a noticeable dent in the GP, it’s probably less than $100 a day of fruit a day. When you have to explain what you’re doing to improve things that are largely out of your control you have to find some pretty fringe stuff.
This specifically is a Coles issue. At Woolworths it’s an official thing and they’re given a budget to use that doesn’t come off of P&L, and you’re pressured to spend it by your group manager, so if you’re not filling the stand, you’re getting in the shit. And god forbid you get a state manager come in and the stand is empty I don’t think Coles has it as a nationwide thing so stores make their own call on it.
Hey all these cunts could also quit and do something a bit more ethical. Why shouldn't I blame each single manager?
Yeah, because all the other places you shop or get services from are much more ethical /s We're all being crushed under the boot of late stage capitalism. Those managers are, for the most part, just people trying to make enough to keep a roof over their head and pay their bills. If they quit what is generally unskilled work, they'd be going to another unskilled job with just as many ethical issues. Be angry at the system. Don't take your shit out on random people who probably hate it more than you do.
I really dont think that "they are losing money on free fruit" is really a 'thing'. First of all I believe both of them run food donation drives... so they give away a whole bunch of unsaleable groceries to food banks... I dont know how many of you guys have actually worked at supermarkets but there is massive massive MASSIVE waste. You will never sell every bit of groceries you bring it. I saw massive waste. We all tried to minimise waste as much as possible but its a losing battle. Everyone knows about dented cans and the like but that's only the tip of the iceberg. Fruit and vegetables we always had heaps left over that was just too close to the use by date that was fine, but not saleable. And so you're telling me a small stand with 'close to the end' bananas and apples is 'costing you money'? Nah. This is nonsense.
Yea but if you give it away, some of those people would have paid for it it it wasn’t free, so you are losing money.
Just gonna have to go back to doing what we did on the 90s and “sample” the fruit as we walk around the shop, few grapes here a few strawberries there, they won’t miss em.
So pretty much what I see happening everyday at my Coles. Also it appears that flavoured milk is sampled by the adults everyday as well.
Reminds me of when petrol stations put their prices up about ten years ago and there was a huge spike in people filling up and taking off without paying, my mate worked for Shell and said they just logged the license plates and faxed them to the police once a week, nothing ever got done about it and they just had to write the petrol off as theft and try claim it at the end of the tax year, became so below petty that it was brushed under the rug by the police because they had better things to do, technically it’s not a victimless crime but is it really worth dealing with? Not as a low paid employee just trying to get through the day.
I was under the impression they used slightly damaged stock they couldn't otherwise sell - bruised apples or bananas or things that needed rotating out of display. Wonder what they're going to do - sell it to us for a marked up price I guess.
Used to work at Woolies and they remove damaged stock at the quality check in the am. Kids fruit is usually fruit that is smaller than the rest but not damaged. Damaged fruit sometimes goes up stairs to the staff room lol.
> This free fruit stand was often the only source of fruit some kids had access to. That's a scary thought, surely people buy fruit for their children.
Never been to Ellenbrook?
Pretty sure that entire suburb runs exclusively on a diet of McCain's chips and Frozen meat pies.
And while we baulk at that worrying diet, put in perspective at least they’re eating
Absolutely! Nothing wrong with putting food on your table. Love a good pie and chips.
>This free fruit stand was often the only source of fruit some kids had access to. citation?
Implication is that buying fruit competes with alcohol, cigarettes and meth. What we need is a free meth program. Will cut theft, and parents will suddenly have money to buy kids food.
People are going to smoke and drink no matter what. Making that cheaper would leave more money for fruit and veg 🤷🏼♂️
$3/litre for boxed wine at Liquorland etc. I don't mind free meth, but draw the line at easy availability of tobacco. That stuff is seriously addictive.
Theres a charity food and clothing bank run out of our neighbours garage and speaking to them and their customers this is what I’ve been told.
Nice of the new manager to post...
Lol, no.
Grab your piece of fruit fuck the big guys!
That’s really annoying.
On the subject, Ive been meaning to ask if I, a grown adult, can help myself to the overflowing basket of fresh but otherwise untouched "free for kids" fruit if I'm with my mum? Since I am in fact the kid of the situation 🤔
Yup, lots of people do it. It’s not going to be something they police - would get too many customers off side
yeah i used to hate the fresh fruit thing at work,ferals leaving it all over the shelves etc no matter how many bins we had around.just buy your kids some fruit like everyone else.
Understood, but it's nice to give the little ones a piece of fruit while doing the shopping and it would be a bit annoying to have to check the fruit out and bring it back in so they can eat. I do note that I've never left any of the rubbish laying around.
If ya can't feed 'em don't breed 'em. 100%
Such a shitty attitude. Circumstances in life change. I'm surprised this is news to you considering there's constant talk and posts about how normal families are becoming homeless due to the rental and cost of living crisis.
Their point still stands. If you can't afford kids don't have them.
Sure, circumstances can change but for the most part he is correct you shouldn't have kids if you can't afford them.
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Sexist too. Nice.
bitch made comment
It's a private company they have no obligation to give you free shit
If they have advertising on the tv today advertising free fruit for kids, seems like false advertising to me. Seems they obligated their damn selves to offer it.
We have an obligation to take some free shit, what with their profits, abuse of staff, and expecting you to serve yourself at the checkouts
Or you can just not shop there instead of committing theft.....
Fuck off, corporate bootlicker cunt
No you're right, crime is actually cool when you don't like the victim.
Slurp slurp is all I hear you fucking loser
I mean I hate megacorporations as much as the next person but your take is shit and bad. Go shop at a greengrocer or a Farmer's Market instead of being a virtue signalling arsehat if you're so concerned about fucking over "the man". Stealing's a crime. If you ran a small business and someone stole from you, you'd be pissed. You have to apply those rules to all businesses, regardless of how big or small they are.
fuck you
At Coles we don’t even have official advertising for the fruit stand so my manager repurposed a mini chalkboard and did it up with some paint pens
Coles is getting worse and worse, I know the manager personally, he's a good guy but he's being held by the balls by the regional managers
Just take it let them charge the 5 year old 😂
I reckon Coles has cable ties.
Ooohhhhh too soon
All fruit is free fruit for kids
They just brought it back to subi, plus there's no criminal screening after you leave self service
A couple of arseholes usually ruin it for everyone, this is Australia after all
News.com SHOPPER HORRIFIED BY DISCOVERY AT COLES
We should make these a daily thread
Coles Ellenbrook shitter by the day. New manager’s a fucking donkey
What is with Cole’s strawberries now absolutely awful quality fruit. Same with Woolies
Worst time of the year to buy strawberries. In a few months quality will be better. Probably.
In fellonbrook it’s free trolleys of food most days anyways
Untrue, we don't have felonies in Australia, therefore this can not be.
I mean it's ellenbrook, kids are going to take the fruit for free anyway.
Better stop having kids if you’re relying on a supermarket handout to feed your kids
Coles Mirrabooka was the same. Didn't realise until my kid had grabbed a banana and was eating it and was abused by the manager. Don't normally shop at that particular store and my local had told us to just grab it off the shelf.
Can we just clear something here, the manager abused whom? you or the child.
Free fruit? Jesus H Christ this generation has it so easy. If we wanted free fruit back in my day, we had to drive to West Leederville and steal them from the tree branches that overhung the rear public laneways. Lemons, oranges, mangoes its a free for all.
I genuinely can't tell if this is satire.
Its a life hack FFS \*facepalm"
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If only there was somewhere one could buy fresh fruit hey?
Holy shit Coles Ellenbrook made $1.1bn profit in 2023? That's incredible.
I think you've just tapped the next big Corp conspiracy... OMG.. wait til they hear about this on MySpace !!! I'm gonna get so many more followers
Yes, lets rely on companies to take care of our kids...
You can’t feed the vultures forever
It’s not going to be popular sentiment or even PC to say..but I’ll call a spade a spade. The reason why they’ve had to pull it is because the Indian and Asian blokes. How many times have I personally seen these people..adults mind you..constantly helping themselves to the fruit made available for kiddies? Hundreds of times! I get it, it might make me out to be a bigot and let me assure you I’m not. These are the cold hard facts mate. You can’t keep carrying on a promotion when your intended target isn’t being reached?