A detail spotted inside a West End health food store has attracted attention on social media, with commenters praising the idea and calling for similar systems to be introduced more broadly.
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WholeLife Pharmacy & Healthfoods, a pharmacy and health food chain, has introduced colour-coded shopping baskets that allow customers to indicate whether they want assistance from staff. Two baskets are available at the entrance: a grey one labelled “I am happy to shop on my own” and a green one reading “I would like assistance.”
The system was shared to Reddit by a user who photographed the baskets side by side.
“I just think it’s neat,” the original poster wrote. “My Millennial brain heaved a sigh of relief when I walked in to a store this week and saw these — I now wish every single store had this system.”
What Shoppers Are Saying
Commenters responded to the post with support for the system, with several noting it addresses uncertainty, for both customers and staff, when assistance is wanted and when it isn’t.
Some commenters noted the system could make it easier for retail workers to approach customers with confidence, removing the guesswork around who wants help and who doesn’t.
One Reddit commenter wrote: “It is a good idea for some people. Just because some people are fine navigating a store it doesn’t mean everybody is. My local store recently changed everything around and hoped we didn’t notice some products being deleted. It’s a pain to shop there now. Could have done with these baskets.”
One Reddit commenter pointed to the difficulty of navigating stores after layout changes as an example of why a system like this could be useful. The basket system allows customers to signal their preference without having to approach a staff member directly.
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Will Other Retailers Follow Suit?
Several commenters said they hoped larger retailers would introduce a similar system. No announcements from major retailers have been made at the time of publication.
WholeLife Pharmacy & Healthfoods is a Queensland-based pharmacy and health food chain with stores across Brisbane.
Published 14-April-2026
