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Coles customers praise ‘massive glow-up’ of new store

Coles customers have praised the supermarket giant for the “massive glow-up” of its Camberwell Local store, which received a sustainability-focused revamp.

A TikTok user, @agreekable, posted a video to TikTok where she gave users an inside look at the revamped Coles Local supermarket in Camberwell, Melbourne.

“I don’t know if anyone’s been to Coles Camberwell recently [...] but, it’s had a massive glow-up,” says the excited shopper in the video.

Screenshot of TikTok video showing inside of Coles Camberwell local store. Source: TikTok/@agreekable
An excited shopper gave users an inside look at the revamped Coles Local supermarket in Camberwell, Melbourne. Source: TikTok/@agreekable

The 29-second video walks users through the sustainable supermarket, which is complete with decorative olive trees, loose fruit and vegetables and a frozen fruit scoop-and-weigh station.

The video also shows the store's extensive cheese section and a refill station with sustainable body and home care products, including shampoo and washing detergents.

The cheese section boasts more than 120 kinds of local and premium-imported cheese, which has been carefully curated by Camberwell’s own in-house cheese specialist Tina Halastanis.

“And it’s so bougie. There are fake olive trees everywhere, the veggies have recipe sections, there’s a Laurent bakery, easy-to-grab frozen fruit, and the cheese section is massive now,” explains the woman in the video, as she tours the store.

Coles store full off self-serve options

In the TikTok video, the delighted shopper points out all of the self-serve options available in the Melbourne store, including freshly ground coffee, a pick-n-mix-style candy bar and a station where shoppers can refill their olive oil bottles with a selection of locally-sourced oils from Squeaky Gate.

The video, captioned: “Very sustainable focused revamp!”, has since gained over 371,000 views, 35,000 likes, and hundreds of comments from impressed customers.

“I hope this is a national trend. Love this!” wrote one user.

“Coles locals are the best and I wish they existed everywhere,” wrote another.

Coles Camberwell Local boasts an extensive plant-based range. Source: Coles Group
Coles Camberwell boasts an extensive plant-based range and hot bread for its cheese selection. Source: Coles Group

Although shoppers applauded Coles for its wide range of sustainable grocery options, many seemed perplexed as to why the retailer is offering hot bread in their bakery.

“And you can get hot bread, I don't know why,” said the woman in her TikTok.

While other customers shared the same confusion in the comments: “What’s the point of warm bread? It will be cold by the time you get home.”

Coles confirmed that warm flat breads and loaves were made available to shoppers to complement their artisan cheese selection.

Coles Local stores tailored to the needs of local community

Head of Coles Local Michael Fahd told Yahoo News Australia that Coles Local stores are tailored specifically to the needs of customers in their local community.

"The ranges include products from speciality local growers, bakers, producers and cafes that people in the community may recognise, know and love," said Mr Fahd.

Mr Fahd added that some of the Coles Local stores incorporate innovative environmental initiatives to reduce plastic packaging and waste, such as sustainable refill and scoop-and-weigh stations.

Coles Camberwell Local store mural by local artist. Source: Coles Group
Coles commissioned local artist Guy Shield to decorate the internal wall with a mural capturing the essence of Camberwell. Source: Coles Group.

“Coles Local Camberwell will be a sought-after destination for locals with plant-based diets, with our vegan and vegetarian specialty range exceeding 220 different products,” he said.

He also confirmed that Camberwell will be the first Coles Local store to offer Click & Collect.

Customers call out ‘risky’ self-serve options amid pandemic

Several customers flocked to the comments to point out the potential risk of self-serve options – as they typically require customers to touch the same tongs.

“This looks amazing, but all this self-serve stuff is surprising seeing as we are in a pandemic. Seems a little risky,” wrote one concerned customer.

“I would be too scared to use any of that self-serve with Covid around,” said another.

However, a Coles employee defended the supermarket in the comments, saying that the staff sanitise the tongs each day to prevent the spread of germs.

Inside Coles Camberwell local store entertaining section. Source: Coles Group
Customers criticised Coles for favouring the 'rich' with their new Local stores. Source: Coles Group

While other customers criticised Coles for favouring the “rich” with their new Coles Local stores and lamented that they wouldn’t move to all suburbs.

“It’s only like that because rich people live there,” wrote one frustrated user.

“Oh, it stinks of rich privilege,” wrote a second user.

Coles customer's tour of 'must visit' store explodes online

The launch of Coles Local Camberwell brings the national tally of the bespoke supermarket format to 10 stores, including their zero waste store in Moonee Ponds, Melbourne.

The Moonee Ponds store exploded online last month when a virtual tour of the store went viral on TikTok.

The video showed loose, misted produce, package-less cereal, self-serve laundry detergent refill stations and signs displaying their “goals in reducing emissions” sprinkled throughout the store.

Coles Group CEO Steven Cain said that the revamped Coles in Moonee Ponds is the first of its kind for the supermarket chain and is an important step in their focus to become “Australia’s most sustainable supermarket”.

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