A diligent shopper at a local grocery store has stepped forward to recount their encounter with a timeless money trick. Their aim is to inspire you during your next grocery shopping venture and prevent you from falling victim to the supermarket’s crafty ploy. The incident unfolded at a Woolsworth grocery store in Brisbane, Australia, where the retail giant cunningly placed full-priced items on a shelf alongside sale products, deceiving unsuspecting customers into purchasing them at their original prices, presuming a significant reduction.
In an image shared on Reddit by the Australian shopper, a fully stocked shelf of John West canned tuna is displayed. While vibrant yellow signs claim that the stocked items have been slashed by 50% to a mere $1.35 each, the reality is that the tuna cans remain at full price—an inconspicuous detail easily overlooked by shoppers browsing the retail display.
A closer inspection of the products on the shelves reveals that the John West canned tuna is not eligible for the sale. Despite being situated near the discounted items, the grocery store charges the regular price for these particular tinned tuna cans.
Expressing frustration, the shopper wrote in the Reddit post, “Well played, Woolies, you got me at the register for $2.60 each.”
The shopper further elaborated, “I fell for their oldest trick—sneaking the full-priced item into the midst of the sale section. Yes, I could have abandoned them at the register, but they knew, and I knew I would just have to bear it.”
Additionally, the shopper discovered that they saved only a few cents per can, rather than the substantial amount indicated by the signs. They shared, “It was also on special but at a different percentage. Normally, I pay $2.80 per can, but the register displayed ‘$2.60, you saved 60 cents.'”
Speculations arise as to whether Woolsworth intended to raise the price of John West’s canned tuna from $2.80 to $3.20 and decided to employ a discount strategy as the initial step.
“While these may seem like trivial amounts, it infuriates me to witness such minuscule yet underhanded actions—shrinkflation and price hikes preceding discounts,” the shopper lamented.
Though numerous individuals suspected Woolsworth of executing a clever ruse, some believe it was merely an oversight on the part of the grocery store chain, with the canned fish erroneously placed among the sale items.
An individual with experience at Woolies shared, “Used to work at Woolies, and there’s no scheme. I can guarantee some night-shift employee, who… spotted a tuna special, filled it up with what they believed to be all tuna.” They added, “Front-end checkout staff will face a barrage of complaints the following day, with demanding customers insisting that all items be provided for free due to mispricing.”
Another person suggested, “This is not Woolies trying to rip you off. Most likely, an employee simply misplaced it.”
What are your thoughts on this potential scheme at the grocery store?
