Court rules Coles misled shoppers with its ‘Down Down’ discount campaign

Landmark finding against supermarket giant after competition watchdog argued discounts did not represent genuine savings

Coles misled Australian shoppers with fake discounts on everyday grocery products, the federal court has ruled in a landmark decision for the supermarket industry.

Justice Michael O’Bryan handed down his judgment on Thursday, delivering a significant blow to Australia’s second largest supermarket chain, which had argued the discounts represented genuine savings during a period of high inflation.