The Daily Aus Why Coles is in court over its 'discounts'
Feb 16, 2026
A court battle over supermarket pricing and ‘down down’ discount tags. How one product’s price jump highlights alleged deceptive sale tactics across hundreds of items. Discussion of who sets prices and what counts as a reasonable sale period. The wider implications for supermarket power, profits and competition in Australia.
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Strepsils Example Shows Price Spiking
- Coles sold Strepsils for $5.50 for two years, then hiked them to $7 before advertising them as down-down to $6.
- The ACCC says that $6 was still 50 cents more than the long-standing price, showing alleged price-spiking across many products.
What Counts As A Real Discount?
- The ACCC alleges Coles used its long-running 'down-down' campaign to mislead shoppers by showing previous prices after brief spikes.
- A key legal question is how long a prior price must hold before a sale can be truthfully advertised as a discount.
Watch For The 'Reasonable Period' Ruling
- Expect the trial to test what is a 'reasonable period' between non-promotional and promotional pricing.
- Watch the court's ruling to learn whether short gaps (weeks) or longer gaps (months) justify relisting items as discounted.