ABC News Daily Will Coles go ‘Down Down’ in court?
Feb 18, 2026
Michael Atkin, ABC consumer affairs reporter, explains the Federal Court fight over Coles’ ‘Down Down’ pricing. He outlines ACCC allegations that prices were briefly raised then discounted, the scope covering about 200 products and internal emails, Coles’ defence that discounts were genuine, who might testify, and the broader competition and penalty issues.
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Short‑Term Hikes Create Fake Savings
- The ACCC alleges Coles used short-term price hikes then advertised 'Down Down' discounts to create the appearance of savings.
- That practice can mislead a reasonable consumer about whether they actually received a discount.
Dog Food Example Shows The Pattern
- Nature's Gift wet dog food was $4 for nearly a year, briefly rose to $6, then went to $4.50 on a Down Down promotion.
- The ACCC says that meant consumers paid 50 cents more than the original regular price despite the 'discount' label.
Strepsils Example Highlights Misleading Tags
- A box of Strepsils sold at a regular $5.50 for 640 days was raised to $7 for 28 days and then shown as discounted.
- The ACCC notes the sale price was actually 9% higher than the prior long‑running regular price.