A small red sign is appearing at Coles self-service checkouts that could save customers money.
The label sticks to scanning machines and advises shoppers to remove loose fruits and vegetables from non-grocery bags before weighing them.
“Do you use your own non-Coles produce bags?” it reads.
‘Be sure to remove your fresh produce before weighing it at the checkout so you only pay for what you buy.’
The supermarket said this only applies to products sold in bulk, such as potatoes, onions, apples and tomatoes.
As the cost of living increases, Australians are looking to cut costs and avoid unnecessary spending.
According to Finder’s latest research, 42 per cent of Australians admitted that their grocery bill is one of their biggest financial stressors.
The average household spends nearly $10,000 a year on food, or $258 a week for a family of four.
The alert reminding customers to remove loose fruits and vegetables from non-grocery bags before weighing them was seen at the bottom of the screens.
With so many people struggling to meet basic needs, it’s no surprise that people don’t want to pay more for a product than they receive.
Depending on the weight of the produce bags, which could be 10 grams or more, shoppers could potentially be charged extra if they ignore the sign.
However, Coles said shoppers do not need to worry about removing fresh produce from mesh bags purchased at the supermarket.
Shoppers are also being told they can continue to weigh their fresh food in the plastic bags offered in stores across the country.
“For the convenience of our customers, we have lightweight bags available for use when purchasing fresh produce,” a Coles spokeswoman said.
‘In addition, we have Coles reusable mesh bags available for purchase, both designed to work with our scales.
‘However, we also know that some of our customers like to bring their own bags when shopping with us, and this sign is there as a friendly reminder to these customers to remove their products before weighing them so that the scale only calculates the weight and price of their products (without the weight of their bag).’