Coles PULL pregnancy tests, Panadol and Nurofen off shelves in selected stores

Now if customers in affected stores want to buy these products, they simply ask for them behind the Customer Service counter and buy it there and then, like cigarettes. 

While Coles hasn’t said which stores have adopted the increased security measure, they have confirmed to the Geelong Advertiser that ithe move was part of a wider look at security within their stores.

‘While the large majority of our customers do the right thing, it’s not fair that a small number of people get away with doing the wrong thing,’ the spokeswoman told the Geelong Advertiser.

‘Like a number of retailers, we work with police to reduce shoplifting.

‘There are also trained covert security officers in our stores nationally and they’re catching hundreds of thieves every week and reporting them to police.’

But the move hasn’t gone down well with some locals in Geelong, Victoria. 

‘It’s ridiculous — while it might be a high-theft product we are talking about only a few dollars — would they start putting lollies and confectionery behind the counter if thefts increased there?’ one customer told the Geelong Advertiser.

‘It’s frustrating because it means I have to purchase it separately from my shop.’