Good afternoon. Woolworths and Coles have blamed suppliers and a “sudden outbreak of high inflation” for price spikes, as they appeared in the federal court for the first time since the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission launched legal action against the supermarket giants. It is alleged the companies misled customers with “illusory” discounts on hundreds of common products.
Shortly before the court appearance, the ACCC lodged fresh legal documents showing more than 250 items, from marinades to instant noodles, on which the regulator alleges supermarkets briefly increased prices before subsequently reducing them slightly and advertising them as discounts.
Cameron Moore SC, representing Woolworths, labelled the ACCC’s case “misconceived”, with lawyers for both companies arguing the fluctuations were due to requests by suppliers for price increases in response to rising inflation and costs. Sarida McLeod, representing the regulator, responded that “the conduct is still misleading”.
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