The free Coles car-park service you didn't know about

It’s a service Coles offers which could change how you shop.

Carrying groceries to the car can be incredibly difficult particularly for older Australians or anyone with an injury.

But the supermarket offers a “carry to car service”, which means if you have trouble carrying your groceries to your vehicle you can request help.

“Our team members are on hand in every Coles store to help carry your groceries if you need,” the Helping you shop page on the Coles website says.

All you need to do is ask at the customer service desk.

But do other supermarkets offer this service?

Coles supermarket signage in Sydney.
Provided you ask customer service, Coles staff will help you carry groceries to your car. Source: AAP (file pic)

Woolworths

Woolworths doesn’t list carrying groceries as a service staff provide on its website.

But a Woolies spokesperson said it is a service which is available.

“Our stores’ team are more than happy to help customers carry groceries to the car when needed,” the spokesperson said.

“It's not a policy, but a natural part of our broader commitment to serve our customers.”

A resident of Dubbo, in the NSW Orana region, wrote on Facebook the “extra mile” a Woolies staff member went to for a family member was “very much appreciated”.

“He offered to carry my elderly mother-in-law’s groceries to her car today,” she wrote.

“He even talked to her on the way, introducing himself and generally chatted with her.”

IGA

IGA told Yahoo News Australia many of its stores offer to carry groceries for shoppers.

However, since IGA’s are independently owned it comes down to the discretion of the franchisee.

Supa IGA at Wembley in Perth is one of the supermarkets which offers it along with the Terang, in Victoria’s west.

Aldi

Unlike Woolworths and Coles, Aldi doesn’t offer shoppers the ability to ask staff to carry groceries to their cars.

“Offering such a service would add costs to our business; which we would then have to pass onto you via higher prices,” a section on Aldi’s website reads.

Aldi supermarket shopping trollies at a car park in a Westfield shopping centre in Brisbane.
Aldi staff won't help you carry groceries to your car due to costs. Source: AAP (file pic)

“As we do not have excess store staff, they cannot leave the store.

“When an item is over a certain weight, we will advertise the fact in our catalogue and encourage you to bring assistance to help carry the item out of the store.

Aldi added each one of its stores is equipped with a “suitable” trolley for moving large objects “which a retail assistant can provide to you”.

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