Young mum Carissa McHolme has voiced her frustrations with Coles self-checkout for making her feel like a criminal.
The Gold Coast resident posted a TikTok video venting that she had been visibly struggling to scan her groceries, and the check-out operator refused to help her.
She was holding her baby in one arm because he would scream each time she put him in the pram.
“I’ve struggled in scanning all of my items, a Coles check-out operator was watching me struggle through this whole thing and not once did she offer to help,” McHolme said.
The young mum was particularly upset as she was the only person at the self-checkout and said the check-out operator had ample time to offer to help.
Following this, Mcholme could not leave the store until her bags were searched by the same worker who watched her struggle to scan them all after the exit gates failed to open for her.
“She (the Coles worker) strolls over to me and she was like ‘do you have your receipt?” Mcholme explained.
“I literally felt like a criminal.
“This is not okay.”
A Coles spokesperson said they actively encourage and train team members to assist customers in need and were disappointed that this did not happen in McHolme’s case.
“We actively encourage and train our team members to assist customers who may need additional help – which may include customers with prams, young children or elderly customers.”
“We are disappointed to hear about that this hasn’t occurred in this customer’s experience and encourage our customers to come to us directly so we can address this with our team,” a spokesperson said.
Other shoppers shared similar experiences in the comments.
“I had a Coles worker yell at me in front of everyone, scan your big items first after I’d scanned a few small items,” one user wrote.
“Had this happen to me also! Waited an extra 4 mins to be let out as the lady was really busy running around helping others and paid no attention,” another said.
McHolme said Coles needs to do better and not treat its customers like criminals.