Why Coles locked up its deodorant in Brisbane stores

Coles has taken the step of locking away its deodorant cans in Brisbane stores after rolling out the initiative in the Northern Territory to safeguard the health of the broader community.

An image of specific cans inside a lockable glass cabinet caught the eye of customers at the Coles Express in The Myer Centre Brisbane and a picture was shared to Reddit last week.

The new procedure of having to ask for deodorant at the counter is to stop individuals from ‘chroming’, a practice of purposefully inhaling ingredients out of a can to get a small high from the butane.

Coles rolled out of the glass cabinets in the Northern Territory last year for the same reason, and now they are in select regions of Queensland.

While many who saw the Reddit thread expressed dismay that it was even required, others said it would make a huge difference in the lives of those risking seizures and heart palpations to chrome.

‘Yeah it’s a pretty big issue, kids as young as 12 getting into it now,’ one comment read.

‘I drive a bus in Brisbane. Chroming is a massive issue,’ said another. 

‘Yeah it’s a pretty big issue, kids as young as 12 getting into it now,’ one comment read

‘Like a number of retailers, Coles is co-operating with police to minimise harm caused by the misuse of aerosol products,’ a spokesperson from Coles told FEMAIL.

‘A number of our stores now have lockable aerosol cabinets installed, and customers seeking to purchase these products can simply ask a team member at the service desk for assistance.

‘We’ve had positive feedback from our customers since we introduced the lockable aerosol cabinets. It takes the whole community to support this issue.’