Coles introduces major change to its security with 'James Bond-style' devices installed at its supermarkets

Coles is rolling out anti-theft fog devices in a bid to deter thieves with one customer describing their shock after it accidentally went off while they were shopping. 

Supermarkets across the country have employed the technique, which works by letting off a cloud of fog over registers and shelves when an alarm is triggered. 

The method is designed to be activated when there is a break-in outside of store opening hours and makes it difficult for thieves to see what they are doing. 

Customers at a Melbourne Coles store got to witness the new technology in action after the device was accidentally activated following a 'technical mishap'.

One shopper recalled the experience on Reddit saying they had been shopping at a Coles supermarket in Clayton, 19km southeast of Melbourne, on the weekend. 

The customer said they had been shopping late at night when they noticed a cloud of smoke filling the front of the suburban store.  

'Not sure exactly what happened as I was wearing my headphones and zoned out in my own world, but I stopped by my local Coles to grab something for dinner on my way home around 10:20pm last night,' they wrote.

'As I was walking to the checkout, I heard a loud pop and smoke gradually filling the store (there was no burning smell and everyone in the store was relatively calm, however the firm alarm did go off).

'The smoke eventually went away after two to three minutes. Does anyone know what it may have been?'

Photos posted by the shopper show registers, customers and products on shelves all clouded by a thick layer of fog.

Many replies to post explained that the smoke was caused by the anti-theft fog device.  

'Anti theft fog, it's used to stop thieves,' one said.

'They're meant to go off if the store is broken into/ram raided after closing time as its nearly impossible to steal stuff when you cant see s***,' another said. 

'Definitely a malfunction if it was during open times.'

A third pointed out: 'It's called a smoke cloak.'

The author of the post said they had no idea such technology existed.

'Thank you to everyone who took the time to clarify that it's a security/anti theft mechanism,' they said.

'I genuinely had no idea that they used them at grocery shops!'

In a statement, Coles told Daily Mail Australia that there was a technical mishap in the Melbourne store on Friday night 'which caused this fog to be deployed'. 

'There is no health risk associated with the fog technology which is designed to go off when there is a break-in after hours,' a spokesperson said. 

In September it was revealed that Coles would be 'aggressively' rolling-out new technology that will track every shoppers' movement throughout the store.

The new security approach involves the fog machines, cameras, trolley locks and smart gates to help stop supermarket theft, after a 20 per cent increase this year.

One piece of technology keeps track of customers from the moment they enter the store, recording the time taken to shop through each aisle until they reach the self checkout.

New security cameras above the checkout machines will then track all items being scanned and placed into bags and if discrepancies are found smart gates will shut while an alarm rings out, keeping the customer within the store.

If that fails to keep a suspected thief from leaving the store, the wheels on new high-tech trolleys will completely lock up the moment they leave the store.

Matt Swindells, Coles' Chief Operations Officer, described the technology as 'world-class' in identifying potential thieves.

'What we've done is taken the best of what's overseas and then enhanced it with a few other tweaks so we believe we've been got world-class loss-prevention technology in our stores,' he told A Current Affair.

'If you're a thief, we're gonna catch ya.'