Why this single image of an old lady outside Coles is making Australians angry: ‘So messed up’

A photo shared on social media showing police officers going through an elderly woman’s groceries has outraged Australians.

“I just watched this poor old lady get arrested by the police for shoplifting food,” the post on X read.

‘I told them I would pay for her food and let her go, and then I was threatened with arrest for obstructing the police. Boycott Coles and Woolworths.’

The photos show the woman talking to police in Melbourne’s CBD as some items from her shopping are placed on the ground, but do not show her being led away by officers.

Victoria Police have been contacted for comment about the incident.

The person who shared the post said they offered to pay for groceries, but police declined

Online commenters were mixed, with some saying she had broken the law and others criticizing police for stopping the woman.

‘This is so confusing. If people are forced to steal food, we need a better alternative,” one person said.

“Elderly people don’t have enough to live on, pension increases don’t cover food and utility price increases and the government doesn’t care,” said another.

“In my neck of the woods, I see some older people in the grocery stores snacking on grapes. They are left alone by the staff,” a third added.

“Looks like some training in empathy and kindness is needed,” a fourth added.

Woolworths made a total profit of $1.7 billion in the last financial year.

The supermarket’s CEO, Brad Banducci, was threatened with six months in prison and a $5,000 fine for failing to answer questions during a heated Senate investigation into supermarket prices earlier this week.

A Greens senator repeatedly asked Mr Banducci to reveal Woolworths’ return on equity, a key measure of the profitability of Australia’s largest supermarket chain.

Instead, the outgoing CEO, who earned $8.6 million in the last fiscal year, declined to answer questions, focusing on the company’s return on investment.

“We measure return on investment, which we believe is the right way to measure a company’s profitability,” he told the inquiry on Tuesday.

Woolworths boss Brad Banducci (pictured) was threatened with contempt of court charges during a Senate hearing

Inquiry chair and Greens senator Nick McKim warned Mr Banducci that failure to answer the question directly, if he knew the answer, could lead to a contempt charge.

‘We are not interested in PR spin. We are not interested in you talking your way through this committee,” said Senator McKim.

“This is very important because the Senate is free to hold you in contempt and that includes possible sanctions, including up to six months in prison for you.

“I’m not asking what you’re focusing on, Mr. Banducci. That is not relevant to this discussion.

‘What you know is relevant: do you know what your return on equity was over the past full financial year? Just yes or no, please, Mr. Banducci.”

A contempt charge carries a fine of up to $5,000 and a possible prison sentence of six months.

Because the answer was not made public, the investigation was forced to suspend the hearings.

Mr. Banducci had previously offered to take the question with caution after admitting he did not know the answer.

“Senator, that’s not what I’m focusing on, I don’t know what the number is exactly,” he said. ‘I would like to take note of the question.’

The profit margins of major supermarkets, including Woolworths (pictured), have come under scrutiny during the investigation, with Woolworths and Coles accused of price gouging

It seems unlikely that the cost of living will improve in the short term, as Australia is expected to lag behind other countries in reducing inflation and boosting economic growth.

In its latest World Economic Outlook, published on Tuesday, the International Monetary Fund forecast Australia’s average headline inflation rate would decline to 3.5 percent in 2024, down from the October projection of 4 percent. Currently this is 4.1 percent.

But consumer price growth would still average 3 percent through 2025, the projections showed, at the top end of the RBA’s target range of 2 to 3 percent.

Other advanced economies are expected to do better than Australia in lowering prices, with average inflation slowing to just 2.4 percent in 2024, and falling further to just 2 percent in 2025.

In some developed economies, including Australia, inflation has tracked sideways in recent months, prompting warnings from the IMF.