Coles guilty in ACCC 'Down Down' case as Federal Court flags fake discounts
Australia's Federal Court ruled Coles misled shoppers, finding 13 of 14 sample 'Down Down' products didn't reflect genuine discounts across 245 products and 255 promotions. Penalties pending with up to $50M per contravention exposure. Parallel Woolworths 'Prices Dropped' verdict looms, reshaping grocery price-promo playbooks.
Australia's Federal Court found Coles guilty of misleading shoppers via its 'Down Down' promotions, ruling 13 of 14 sample products didn't reflect genuine discounts. Penalties pending; parallel Woolworths 'Prices Dropped' case awaits verdict.
Why this matters
Builds on earlier ACCC action where the Federal Court flagged Coles' 'Down Down' promotions as misleading on 13 of 14 sampled items, escalating from finding to penalty phase.
Retail-company signals steady at 237 in last 90 days, with regulatory enforcement a rising sub-thread.