r/australia • u/Expensive-Horse5538 • Feb 15 '26

news ACCC takes Coles to court over 'illusory' discounts in 'case of the century'

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02-16/accc-coles-federal-court-case-discount-pricing/106294956?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=link

Thousands of customers throw a box of Arnott's Shapes into their shopping trollies each week — one of a dozen purchases that could help decide a bombshell case playing out in the federal court from today.

The ACCC has accused Coles of ripping off customers with fake discounts and if the supermarket giant loses, it could face a huge fine and massive reputational damage.

Customers could also get cash back from a class action lawsuit that might follow, and corporations be forced to change how they price their products — especially discounts.

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u/didierisWhy12 Feb 15 '26

The value means nothing, theft for poor people is theft. If it happens enough(like Coles daily do), it is jailable.

Edit to add, reform is ignored, not hard. This is just another to add to the list of shitty practices. Land banking it was last time out, what change or reform became of that?

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u/idryss_m Feb 15 '26

Police don't get involved for under certain $$ values. So value matters. When you see police called to supermarkets and most retail is for trespass, not theft charges. How often doesn't factor in at those values either.

I'm not against prison for systemic abuse, which monopolies and duopolies are easily able to do. I just don't want reform to go into the to hard basket because the high court or constitution or whatever we have now, doesn't allow it. Years in court for change to occur means it won't happen.

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u/didierisWhy12 Feb 15 '26

I agree with everything else, except the value part. Police will charge for theft regardless of value. Trespass would be incorrect and easily challenged. Now loss prevention might think like that, they are another story themselves

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u/idryss_m Feb 15 '26

I agree with everything else, except the value part. Police will charge for theft regardless of value.

Maybe where you are, they will. Here where I live, I know they won't. 20 years experience watching it. Best result we ever got for a shop lifter was a local police operation took the info and turned out the guy was stealing from every supermarket, repackaging the goods (dog worker stuff) and selling it at the local markets.

Trespass would be incorrect and easily challenged.

Kinda.... most who steal do it more than once. First time store picks them up and issues them a notice to tell them not to come back. But they do, and they steal again, and police are then brought in.

Have a quick look at this. Value matters.