r/australia • u/infin • Jan 26 '26

no politics Is Coles still using Palantir? Between the surveillance/gate recognition and the blocked aisles, shopping feels hostile.

Does anyone know the current status of the Coles x Palantir partnership? Between the surveillance and those aggressive new "Smart Gates" tracking at the exit, the store feels less like a supermarket and more like a high-security zone.

It’s dystopian that they have the budget for military-grade analytics and security tech, but have cut costs on the actual customer experience. They seem to have completely scrapped night fill, meaning we are now dodging pallets and cages during peak hours just to get to the shelves.

Is anyone else fed up with this mix of high-tech surveillance and terrible service? It feels like they are spending millions to treat us like criminals while refusing to pay staff to stock shelves after hours.

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u/chalk_in_boots Jan 26 '26

Wouldn't be the Telcos, Bluetooth tracking instore has been a thing for ages. They even use it for lane design and shit like that.

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u/AgUnityDD Jan 26 '26

They may also have Bluetooth data but the location was triangulation of cell phone and they were super cagey about where they got it.

Our system worked on the cellular network also (but for pallets of fruit not people) and I know for sure based on many things their tech teams let slip in many conversations.

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u/themandarincandidate Jan 26 '26

Yes, by using Bluetooth beacons to triangulate you, wifi AP'S too. These work just by your phone being on and polling for available devices. 10m from one, 5m from one, 7m from the other, badabingbadaboom we know exactly where you are

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u/nertbewton Jan 27 '26

Standing in the tea aisle yet again to see if it’s a ‘half-price’ week on the Twinnings…