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

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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.