Coles Little Shop Scandal Sending Parents Into a Spin

A NSW woman uncovered a Coles Mini Shop scandal — and parents are outraged.

Sharing her discovery in the closed Coles Little Shop — Minis Swap Group Australia Facebook group the woman revealed her mother had overheard staff “bragging” about taking the collectable cases used to house the minis.

“This morning my mother went into Coles, Yamba NSW. She was going about her shopping when she got to the self serve area and overheard two staff bragging about how a box of the collectable cases came in this morning, and they were all gone to staff already,” the woman posted.

“My mum spun around and said excuse me? To which the girl responded we are apart (sic) of the community too we can get them — mum said not while you’re in that uniform at work and not spending money as a paying customer outside of work hours you’re not.

“Mum put in a complaint at the service desk and told him she would be ringing the manager when she got home — she did ring and the second in charge said he was told about her complaint and that he had been around taking folders off staff members.

“She ended up ringing head office about it and they said this has been happening with staff all over the country … WHAT THE HELL. They were no help and wouldn’t even call back and let us know what had been done about it.”

little shop scandal

The post was inundated with outraged replies, with many parents slamming the “greedy” staff members, and some calling for them to be fired.

When contacted by news.com.au, a manager at the Yamba store said he could not comment on the allegations — but he confirmed cases had been “retrieved from staff” and had been made available to the public again, and that the customer who made the original complaint had been informed.

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19 Comments

- - meedee said
  - 04 Nov 2022
    1:08 pm
I think everyone is well over this by now.

- - mom7108 said
  - 17 Nov 2018
    3:23 pm
I had a spare case and gave it away – I could have made money on it but havent got time for that!

- - rovermum said
  - 12 Sep 2018
    9:15 am
This has brought out the worst in people – in grown adults! That’s the outrage… not that they’re plastic, or for children. Grown humans behaving badly.

- - littlehandsofmine said
  - 11 Sep 2018
    11:42 am
I suppose as staff, you want it too. They should have more.

- - MisChip said
  - 10 Sep 2018
    10:43 pm
That’s just awful.
I know at least half a dozen children that are desperate to get their hands on a folder. I have heard of one parent driving around to many different Coles stores trying to find one.

- - mumknowsbest said
  - 10 Sep 2018
    8:38 pm
Who really cares? Sounds like this woman’s mum has way too much time on her hands. I think for all the abuse & outrage the staff have endured over plastic bags & now coles minis they should all be given a free collector case if they want one!

- - mom206279 said
  - 09 Sep 2018
    12:41 pm
These are kids junk toys!! How has it ended up here? There will be 8 million of these cases in the ‘free’ box at the op shops in a few months. We have bigger problems than arguing about this rubbish!

- - mom265671 said
  - 08 Sep 2018
    11:28 pm
I wish they would’ve made more stock to begin with, knowing how long this promotion was running, many places sold out in the first week

- - ashna9 said
  - 08 Sep 2018
    11:23 am
Well no wonder none of us can get any of the merchandise! It’s probably happening at many of the stores.

- - mom318661 said
  - 08 Sep 2018
    10:24 am
I object to the entire mini Coles things. It seems hypocritical that these plastic items are introduced at the same time as the one use plastic bag ban! Why not instead, offer something useful such as metal clothes pegs or glass or metal canisters ?

- - Ellen said
  - 08 Sep 2018
    3:27 am
Staff and costumers both respond greedy in this case. Not fun anymore ! When something what ment to be fun, causes such negative feelings of greed, jealousy, desire to slam and what not all, then it’s time to stop.
- mom93821 replied
  
  08 Sep 2018 , 6:39 am
  It is such a shame because we have enjoyed it and I just don’t understand the greedy and silly behaviour about these Coles minis. They should be shared and enjoyed by all and particularly by children.
- - nealsq said
  - 08 Sep 2018
    12:28 am
just like the caramilk chocolate I suspect

- - Amanda Holland said
  - 07 Sep 2018
    8:50 pm
I don’t like these anyway, too much fuss over it all

- - becstalou said
  - 07 Sep 2018
    7:29 pm
Think there has been a lot of this going on.

- - mom93821 said
  - 07 Sep 2018
    7:11 pm
Such a shame that people appear to be acting in a greedy manner.

- - Blossom said
  - 07 Sep 2018
    6:49 pm
The promotion is about to finish and because of staff taking them many customers could be missing out. In a lot of cases it is the children who ultimately miss out. Staff get very good discounts on products they purchase – just shows how much mark up Coles have on their prices

- - BellaB said
  - 07 Sep 2018
    5:55 pm
The behaviour is totally wrong, but it is also a bit of an excessive reaction.

- - mom81879 said
  - 07 Sep 2018
    12:59 pm
Ooohhhh, that won’t go down well. I know people who have been shopping Coles for years and been collecting the little shops, and they’ve been disappointed so not being able to get the cases or the baskets or the trolleys. Wonder how much has gone to thieving staff members