<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Supermarket giant </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/supermarkets" rel="" target="" title="Coles"><span>Coles</span></a><span> has been accused of artificially increasing prices before reducing them and claiming it as a discount.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/australia" rel="" target="" title="Australia"><span>Australia</span></a><span>'s consumer watchdog is pursuing the chain through the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/courts" rel="" target="" title="Federal Court"><span>Federal Court</span></a><span> for allegedly misleading consumers with its "down down, prices are down" campaign.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's case against Coles began today, with its lawyers accusing the company of using "utterly misleading" prices.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>NATIONAL:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/heavy-rain-to-soak-multiple-states-northern-australia/730f950c-9898-4e2e-9f07-99bc1cf817ba" target="_blank"><strong><span>Half of Australia set for major soaking, millions warned</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>WATCH:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.nine.com.au/sport/golf/pebble-beach-pro-am-2026-colin-morikawa-min-woo-lee-prize-money-results-18th-hole-shot-reaction-20260216-p5o2mz.html" target="_blank"><strong><span>Aussie's priceless reaction as $5 million win ripped away</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>With a "jingle that sticks in one's ear longer than is healthy", the ACCC's barrister alleged Coles' well-known "down down" marketing campaign had deliberately misled its customers.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Why on earth are you telling your customers that your prices are going down, when they're not?" the commission's barrister Garry Rich SC told the court.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/accc-court-updates-coles-accused-of-utterly-misleading-grocery-prices/70a3d08c-7dec-40ad-ae10-b31e00875991" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The particular promotion they chose was a promotion that hinges on convincing customers that the price of this product has gone down.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"An utterly inappropriate promotional mechanic to use in circumstances where everyone within Coles knows the price is going up."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He opened the hearing using the example of a 1.2kg can of Nature's Gift adult wet dog food, which he said was sold for $4 from April 2022 to February 2023.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Rich claimed Coles had increased the price of the product to $6 for a week, before it was sold as reduced to $4.50.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Coles's statement was utterly misleading," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/north-ryde-kidnapping-sydney-chris-baghsarian-police/3cb2fb83-2b2b-4eda-b451-4bcb90ef4480" target="_blank"><strong><span>'Distressing' video of kidnapped Sydney grandfather seen by police</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>BONDI MASSACRE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/naveed-akram-court-updates-bondi-shooter-utters-first-words-in-first-court-showing/11d980a2-4e80-4fb0-9783-e9346478bd1f" target="_blank"><strong><span>Accused terrorist's first words as he appears in court</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Coles had increased its price to $6 just seven days before the promotion and for 296 days before that the price was $4."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Justice Michael O'Bryan queried whether the reason the price rose was due to the supplier increasing its cost.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Rich said consumers would not know this information and it was misleading to claim the later price was discounted.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Using a giant red thumb, the "down down" campaign began in 2010 and claimed prices on everyday household products had been reduced and were staying low.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Coles said it was helping </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/australia" rel="" target="" title="Australians"><span>Australians</span></a><span> keep their grocery costs down as part of its commitment to lower the cost of living, Rich said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>However, in reality Coles allegedly misled customers on prices for 245 similar products, including toothpaste, soft drink, cheese, shampoo, band-aids and laundry powder.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"You're not lowering the cost of living, you're not driving prices down, in circumstances of the kind we have here," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/supermarkets" rel="" target="" title="Coles"><span>Coles</span></a><span> is fighting all allegations brought by the ACCC as the hearing continues.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all 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