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

Coles supermarkets were taken to court by the ACCC, which alleged the supermarket’s ‘Down Down’ discounts were misleading shoppers. Photograph: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

Coles misled Australian shoppers by promoting fake “Down Down” 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 that the discounts represented genuine savings during a period of high inflation.