<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A supermarket giant fighting allegations of manipulating grocery prices as part of a nationwide "down down" promotion insists it "genuinely cares" about its customers.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Coles is fiercely defending claims by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission that it deliberately misled customers during the campaign that first launched in 2010.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The retail giant has also admitted strong-arming suppliers, threatening to strip products from shelves if they refused to meet the retailer's pricing demands, the Federal Court in Melbourne was told today.</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>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/m1-partially-closed-after-truck-crash/7ca9248d-26db-4097-9499-f940cbba4eb4" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Motorway reopens south of Sydney after truck crash spilled molasses</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The watchdog alleges Coles systematically jacked up prices on everyday items, before offering discounts at prices higher or equal to the original shelf price.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The "down down" discounts on everything from biscuits to dog food tricked shoppers into thinking they were getting value for money - such as Nature's Gift pet food, it says.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One Nature's Gift item sold for 10 months at $4, then was bumped up to $6 for a week before reduced to the "down down" price of $4.50, the court was previously told.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/supermarket-giant-coles-genuinely-cares-about-customers/b5460fff-b848-4e8b-88ad-961a1d941cc4" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Senior category manager for pets, Paul Carroll, admitted the "down down" campaign helped drive sales.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The company effectively used the tactic during the pandemic to increase pet product sales, as the number of Australians adopting animals skyrocketed during lockdown.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I can't speak on the perception of customers - every customer is different. But in my experience, I've seen a sales increase by offering promotions, yes - specifically to the pet category," Carroll said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I wouldn't perceive it as volume of sales, but I would say that it gave a good perception of value to the customer."</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/the-super-mistake-which-could-cost-young-aussies-128000/d66a4595-f0a7-4076-8f7a-1a04f06af272" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>The simple financial mistake which could cost young Aussies $128,000</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While Carroll repeatedly insisted that the "down down" intention was to make products "accessible", he conceded that the primary motive was to drive sales.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Coles received rebates from suppliers when their products were discounted and promoted.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>During negotiations with Real Pet Food Company, the supplier of Nature's Gift pet products, Carroll threatened to pull the range from shelves over pricing and a dispute over rebates, the court was told.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Emails read out to the court revealed Carroll also offered Real Pet Food a "steer" to reach an agreement that the supermarket giant could accept, before placing existing product shipments on hold.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"You told him in the email that you were happy to give him a steer as to where you would require investment," ACCC barrister Garry Rich SC 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/melbourne-crime-man-arrested-after-bomb-scare-near-two-schools-in-st-kilda-east/c6a13748-8525-4bb3-a97f-bd8aed5ff755" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Man charged after alleged Melbourne school bomb scare</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"By that, you meant you were happy to tell him what additional promotional funding or other benefits he could provide Coles to enable you to accept the CPI (cost price increase) request in full.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"You were telling him that you would be able to provide him with suggestions as to the amount of promotional funding or other benefits Real Pet Food could provide to Coles."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While Carroll admitted writing the emails, he said his intention was to reduce costs for the benefit of customers.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"You keep talking about benefits to a customer, and we keep having this debate. But the reason you want benefits for customers as you describe it is so they'll buy your product," Rich said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Carroll argued he "genuinely cared about the customers" before ultimately agreeing that it was about driving sales for the supermarket giant.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The competition watchdog is seeking significant penalties for alleged breaches relating to Woolworths' "prices dropped" and Coles' "down down" promotions across 15 months.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The case continues before Justice Michael O'Bryan.</span></div></div>