We always appreciate a good bargain, and we know that most of you regularly shop at supermarkets like Woolworths and Coles.

However, we've stumbled across a few reports claiming to have noticed a rather questionable pricing strategy going on in these major grocery chains.

According to an unhappy Woolworths customer who posted on a forum website, they've observed the retailer's prices on popular products being raised so that they can add a large 'Prices Dropped' tag on the shelves.

Shoppers have voiced their frustrations at the seemingly arbitrary price fluctuations followed by seemingly generous discounts. Other forum users said Coles seems to follow the same pattern: 'Coles does the exact same thing.'

Retail experts say consumers should be wary of supermarket price drops. Credit: Flickr.

Take the case of a 30-pack box of Pepsi Max: the forum user dug up some records, revealing that the price dropped from $33.50 to $24 on August 30 last year and remained there for quite some time.

However, around April 17, 2023, the price suddenly shot up to $35 before dropping again to $26, now with a 'Was $35 on 17/5/23' sticker. The question here is, who's benefiting from this practice? The customer or the supermarket?

Several other shoppers jumped in with their personal experiences, expressing frustration with the sense of false savings provided by these pricing strategies.

One disgruntled customer criticised the supermarkets, claiming, 'They have made record profits in a time when the supposed reason for price hikes were cost increases for them.'

Professor Jana Bowden of Marketing and Consumer Psychology at Macquarie University advises shoppers to remain wary. 'Big brands regularly raise and then drop their prices at various times throughout the year to encourage consumers to buy,' Professor Bowden told a news outlet.

'Promotional sales tags or "specials" discourage consumers from doing their price homework.'

According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) guidelines, a 'was' or 'strikethrough' price must have been paid by customers for a reasonable period before a sale began; the term 'reasonable' varies from situation to situation.

It appears that these discounts elicit excitement, leading customers to make purchases based on emotion and impulse rather than logic. It's easy to fall for the eye-catching end-of-aisle displays in supermarkets, featuring enticing multi-pack soft drink 'bargains'.

Unfortunately, shoppers often assume that a discount tag signifies an excellent buying opportunity.

Professor Bowden urges vigilance: 'Consumers need to do their homework, especially for products they buy often. That means researching prices over time, knowing what specials are likely to crop up and when, and being aware of whether a promotion is a legitimate promotion or not. It really is a case of buyer beware.'

A spokesperson for the supermarket cited supplier cost increases for the fluctuating prices. Credit: Twitter/Woolworths.

In their defence, a Woolworths spokesperson addressed the fluctuating prices, attributing them to significant supplier cost increases over the past 12 to 18 months, resulting in higher retail prices.

They explained, 'Woolworths endeavours to be very clear with its pricing so customers can see the benefit of the shelf price reductions in their seasonal "Prices Dropped" program, regardless of whether it's through our catalogue, in-store or online. The purpose of our seasonal and longer-term "Prices Dropped" programs is to provide better price certainty for longer on lower shelf prices for our customers.'

Key Takeaways

• A Woolworths shopper shared an observation of the retailer's discount tactics on a popular forum, stirring anger among other customers.
• Many shoppers responded with their own examples of supermarkets using this discount tactic, and some claimed Coles does the 'exact same thing'.
• Professor Jana Bowden, an expert in marketing and consumer psychology, says that customers need to do their research and be vigilant when it comes to deals and promotional sales tags.
• In a statement, a Woolworths spokesperson explained the reasoning for fluctuating prices, citing supplier cost price increases and the company's effort to provide clear pricing information to customers.

We urge our Senior Discount Club members to be savvy shoppers and keep an eye out for the fairness of supermarket pricing tactics. Always double-check whether 'discounted' items are genuinely a good deal or just another marketing ploy.

With that said, what are your thoughts on these 'sneaky' pricing tactics in supermarkets? Have you encountered similar experiences? Perhaps you have other noteworthy observations from your supermarket visits that you'd like to share. We would love to hear your input, so please feel free to leave your comments below!

 

[Rosalie30]

I wish we could get a Cosco shop in the Southern Highlands.

Costco is not the answer to everyone’s prayers. You need to know your prices when shopping there. Buying in bulk doesn’t always mean a cheaper unit price. Their Roast Chickens, Pizzas and Birthday Cakes are a bargain, as are some of their clothing lines, but that’s mostly it.

 

[spórol]

Vacillating between price per kg, 100g etc should be conformed to one unit.
At Coles and Woolworths noticed years ago that special price tag and the usual price below were sometimes the same.

 

[Nana Zorak]

This is across the board. Woolies, Coles and Aldi have raised prices before discounting them to about or above the old price.

I was buying a family-size tub of butter from Woolies for $7.50 for 750 grammes then when it went up to $10.50 I decided to buy 2 Of Aldi's butter fully tubs for $4.49 for 500 grammes thus giving me 1 kg for $8.98 saving me over $2.00 a shop on that item alone.

 

[Tambo@01]

We always appreciate a good bargain, and we know that most of you regularly shop at supermarkets like Woolworths and Coles.

However, we've stumbled across a few reports claiming to have noticed a rather questionable pricing strategy going on in these major grocery chains.

According to an unhappy Woolworths customer who posted on a forum website, they've observed the retailer's prices on popular products being raised so that they can add a large 'Prices Dropped' tag on the shelves.

Shoppers have voiced their frustrations at the seemingly arbitrary price fluctuations followed by seemingly generous discounts. Other forum users said Coles seems to follow the same pattern: 'Coles does the exact same thing.'

View attachment 21892

Retail experts say consumers should be wary of supermarket price drops. Credit: Flickr.

Take the case of a 30-pack box of Pepsi Max: the forum user dug up some records, revealing that the price dropped from $33.50 to $24 on August 30 last year and remained there for quite some time.

However, around April 17, 2023, the price suddenly shot up to $35 before dropping again to $26, now with a 'Was $35 on 17/5/23' sticker. The question here is, who's benefiting from this practice? The customer or the supermarket?

Several other shoppers jumped in with their personal experiences, expressing frustration with the sense of false savings provided by these pricing strategies.

One disgruntled customer criticised the supermarkets, claiming, 'They have made record profits in a time when the supposed reason for price hikes were cost increases for them.'

Professor Jana Bowden of Marketing and Consumer Psychology at Macquarie University advises shoppers to remain wary. 'Big brands regularly raise and then drop their prices at various times throughout the year to encourage consumers to buy,' Professor Bowden told a news outlet.

'Promotional sales tags or "specials" discourage consumers from doing their price homework.'

According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) guidelines, a 'was' or 'strikethrough' price must have been paid by customers for a reasonable period before a sale began; the term 'reasonable' varies from situation to situation.

It appears that these discounts elicit excitement, leading customers to make purchases based on emotion and impulse rather than logic. It's easy to fall for the eye-catching end-of-aisle displays in supermarkets, featuring enticing multi-pack soft drink 'bargains'.

Unfortunately, shoppers often assume that a discount tag signifies an excellent buying opportunity.

Professor Bowden urges vigilance: 'Consumers need to do their homework, especially for products they buy often. That means researching prices over time, knowing what specials are likely to crop up and when, and being aware of whether a promotion is a legitimate promotion or not. It really is a case of buyer beware.'

View attachment 21893

A spokesperson for the supermarket cited supplier cost increases for the fluctuating prices. Credit: Twitter/Woolworths.

In their defence, a Woolworths spokesperson addressed the fluctuating prices, attributing them to significant supplier cost increases over the past 12 to 18 months, resulting in higher retail prices.

They explained, 'Woolworths endeavours to be very clear with its pricing so customers can see the benefit of the shelf price reductions in their seasonal "Prices Dropped" program, regardless of whether it's through our catalogue, in-store or online. The purpose of our seasonal and longer-term "Prices Dropped" programs is to provide better price certainty for longer on lower shelf prices for our customers.'

Key Takeaways

• A Woolworths shopper shared an observation of the retailer's discount tactics on a popular forum, stirring anger among other customers.
• Many shoppers responded with their own examples of supermarkets using this discount tactic, and some claimed Coles does the 'exact same thing'.
• Professor Jana Bowden, an expert in marketing and consumer psychology, says that customers need to do their research and be vigilant when it comes to deals and promotional sales tags.
• In a statement, a Woolworths spokesperson explained the reasoning for fluctuating prices, citing supplier cost price increases and the company's effort to provide clear pricing information to customers.

We urge our Senior Discount Club members to be savvy shoppers and keep an eye out for the fairness of supermarket pricing tactics. Always double-check whether 'discounted' items are genuinely a good deal or just another marketing ploy.

With that said, what are your thoughts on these 'sneaky' pricing tactics in supermarkets? Have you encountered similar experiences? Perhaps you have other noteworthy observations from your supermarket visits that you'd like to share. We would love to hear your input, so please feel free to leave your comments below!

Woolis have been doing stuff like this for years. I worked for Woolies back in 196970. Every time they put something on special, it never went back to it's original price before the special. The new price would be higher. Ain't nothing new under the sun.

 

[rehandra]

We always appreciate a good bargain, and we know that most of you regularly shop at supermarkets like Woolworths and Coles.

However, we've stumbled across a few reports claiming to have noticed a rather questionable pricing strategy going on in these major grocery chains.

According to an unhappy Woolworths customer who posted on a forum website, they've observed the retailer's prices on popular products being raised so that they can add a large 'Prices Dropped' tag on the shelves.

Shoppers have voiced their frustrations at the seemingly arbitrary price fluctuations followed by seemingly generous discounts. Other forum users said Coles seems to follow the same pattern: 'Coles does the exact same thing.'

View attachment 21892

Retail experts say consumers should be wary of supermarket price drops. Credit: Flickr.

Take the case of a 30-pack box of Pepsi Max: the forum user dug up some records, revealing that the price dropped from $33.50 to $24 on August 30 last year and remained there for quite some time.

However, around April 17, 2023, the price suddenly shot up to $35 before dropping again to $26, now with a 'Was $35 on 17/5/23' sticker. The question here is, who's benefiting from this practice? The customer or the supermarket?

Several other shoppers jumped in with their personal experiences, expressing frustration with the sense of false savings provided by these pricing strategies.

One disgruntled customer criticised the supermarkets, claiming, 'They have made record profits in a time when the supposed reason for price hikes were cost increases for them.'

Professor Jana Bowden of Marketing and Consumer Psychology at Macquarie University advises shoppers to remain wary. 'Big brands regularly raise and then drop their prices at various times throughout the year to encourage consumers to buy,' Professor Bowden told a news outlet.

'Promotional sales tags or "specials" discourage consumers from doing their price homework.'

According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) guidelines, a 'was' or 'strikethrough' price must have been paid by customers for a reasonable period before a sale began; the term 'reasonable' varies from situation to situation.

It appears that these discounts elicit excitement, leading customers to make purchases based on emotion and impulse rather than logic. It's easy to fall for the eye-catching end-of-aisle displays in supermarkets, featuring enticing multi-pack soft drink 'bargains'.

Unfortunately, shoppers often assume that a discount tag signifies an excellent buying opportunity.

Professor Bowden urges vigilance: 'Consumers need to do their homework, especially for products they buy often. That means researching prices over time, knowing what specials are likely to crop up and when, and being aware of whether a promotion is a legitimate promotion or not. It really is a case of buyer beware.'

View attachment 21893

A spokesperson for the supermarket cited supplier cost increases for the fluctuating prices. Credit: Twitter/Woolworths.

In their defence, a Woolworths spokesperson addressed the fluctuating prices, attributing them to significant supplier cost increases over the past 12 to 18 months, resulting in higher retail prices.

They explained, 'Woolworths endeavours to be very clear with its pricing so customers can see the benefit of the shelf price reductions in their seasonal "Prices Dropped" program, regardless of whether it's through our catalogue, in-store or online. The purpose of our seasonal and longer-term "Prices Dropped" programs is to provide better price certainty for longer on lower shelf prices for our customers.'

Key Takeaways

• A Woolworths shopper shared an observation of the retailer's discount tactics on a popular forum, stirring anger among other customers.
• Many shoppers responded with their own examples of supermarkets using this discount tactic, and some claimed Coles does the 'exact same thing'.
• Professor Jana Bowden, an expert in marketing and consumer psychology, says that customers need to do their research and be vigilant when it comes to deals and promotional sales tags.
• In a statement, a Woolworths spokesperson explained the reasoning for fluctuating prices, citing supplier cost price increases and the company's effort to provide clear pricing information to customers.

We urge our Senior Discount Club members to be savvy shoppers and keep an eye out for the fairness of supermarket pricing tactics. Always double-check whether 'discounted' items are genuinely a good deal or just another marketing ploy.

With that said, what are your thoughts on these 'sneaky' pricing tactics in supermarkets? Have you encountered similar experiences? Perhaps you have other noteworthy observations from your supermarket visits that you'd like to share. We would love to hear your input, so please feel free to leave your comments below!

I never take the "special" tags at face value. I only shop by "unit" pricing which the supermarkets apparently would like to do away with but so far have not been successful and I hope they are not! When I see a good buy I buy two or more of them because as sure as one thing the price will have gone up the next time I want it. I do this with products I go through quickly like tomato ketchup.
\

We always appreciate a good bargain, and we know that most of you regularly shop at supermarkets like Woolworths and Coles.

However, we've stumbled across a few reports claiming to have noticed a rather questionable pricing strategy going on in these major grocery chains.

According to an unhappy Woolworths customer who posted on a forum website, they've observed the retailer's prices on popular products being raised so that they can add a large 'Prices Dropped' tag on the shelves.

Shoppers have voiced their frustrations at the seemingly arbitrary price fluctuations followed by seemingly generous discounts. Other forum users said Coles seems to follow the same pattern: 'Coles does the exact same thing.'

View attachment 21892

Retail experts say consumers should be wary of supermarket price drops. Credit: Flickr.

Take the case of a 30-pack box of Pepsi Max: the forum user dug up some records, revealing that the price dropped from $33.50 to $24 on August 30 last year and remained there for quite some time.

However, around April 17, 2023, the price suddenly shot up to $35 before dropping again to $26, now with a 'Was $35 on 17/5/23' sticker. The question here is, who's benefiting from this practice? The customer or the supermarket?

Several other shoppers jumped in with their personal experiences, expressing frustration with the sense of false savings provided by these pricing strategies.

One disgruntled customer criticised the supermarkets, claiming, 'They have made record profits in a time when the supposed reason for price hikes were cost increases for them.'

Professor Jana Bowden of Marketing and Consumer Psychology at Macquarie University advises shoppers to remain wary. 'Big brands regularly raise and then drop their prices at various times throughout the year to encourage consumers to buy,' Professor Bowden told a news outlet.

'Promotional sales tags or "specials" discourage consumers from doing their price homework.'

According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) guidelines, a 'was' or 'strikethrough' price must have been paid by customers for a reasonable period before a sale began; the term 'reasonable' varies from situation to situation.

It appears that these discounts elicit excitement, leading customers to make purchases based on emotion and impulse rather than logic. It's easy to fall for the eye-catching end-of-aisle displays in supermarkets, featuring enticing multi-pack soft drink 'bargains'.

Unfortunately, shoppers often assume that a discount tag signifies an excellent buying opportunity.

Professor Bowden urges vigilance: 'Consumers need to do their homework, especially for products they buy often. That means researching prices over time, knowing what specials are likely to crop up and when, and being aware of whether a promotion is a legitimate promotion or not. It really is a case of buyer beware.'

View attachment 21893

A spokesperson for the supermarket cited supplier cost increases for the fluctuating prices. Credit: Twitter/Woolworths.

In their defence, a Woolworths spokesperson addressed the fluctuating prices, attributing them to significant supplier cost increases over the past 12 to 18 months, resulting in higher retail prices.

They explained, 'Woolworths endeavours to be very clear with its pricing so customers can see the benefit of the shelf price reductions in their seasonal "Prices Dropped" program, regardless of whether it's through our catalogue, in-store or online. The purpose of our seasonal and longer-term "Prices Dropped" programs is to provide better price certainty for longer on lower shelf prices for our customers.'

Key Takeaways

• A Woolworths shopper shared an observation of the retailer's discount tactics on a popular forum, stirring anger among other customers.
• Many shoppers responded with their own examples of supermarkets using this discount tactic, and some claimed Coles does the 'exact same thing'.
• Professor Jana Bowden, an expert in marketing and consumer psychology, says that customers need to do their research and be vigilant when it comes to deals and promotional sales tags.
• In a statement, a Woolworths spokesperson explained the reasoning for fluctuating prices, citing supplier cost price increases and the company's effort to provide clear pricing information to customers.

We urge our Senior Discount Club members to be savvy shoppers and keep an eye out for the fairness of supermarket pricing tactics. Always double-check whether 'discounted' items are genuinely a good deal or just another marketing ploy.

With that said, what are your thoughts on these 'sneaky' pricing tactics in supermarkets? Have you encountered similar experiences? Perhaps you have other noteworthy observations from your supermarket visits that you'd like to share. We would love to hear your input, so please feel free to leave your comments below!

I never take the "special" tags at face value. I only shop by "unit" pricing which the supermarkets apparently would like to do away with but so far have not been successful and I hope they are not! When I see a good buy I buy two or more of them because as sure as one thing the price will have gone up the next time I want it. I do this with products I go through quickly like tomato ketchup.

 

[rehandra]

I was buying a family-size tub of butter from Woolies for $7.50 for 750 grammes then when it went up to $10.50 I decided to buy 2 Of Aldi's butter fully tubs for $4.49 for 500 grammes thus giving me 1 kg for $8.98 saving me over $2.00 a shop on that item alone.

I only buy the Aldi dairy now...have given away buying from the others.

 

[jo jos]

Last year Woolworths Dynomo 5.4 professional liquid sold for $28 with sales approx every 3 to 4 months sale price $23
3 months ago I had to pay $32.
Yesterday the price has jumped to $42
Super markets are getting outrageous profits and executives massive bonuses
I’m not buying from Big W anymore

A couple of years ago now, I usually purchased a particular brand of milk from Woolworths. All of a sudden the price went up. Then behold a week later this milk was on special - back to its original price. Seems to be of a regular occurrence. This should be stopped if they want to keep their customers.

 

[rehandra]

I find the Aldi liquid washing detergent very good....maybe time to change brands! For those interested here is the canstar results https://www.canstarblue.com.au/home-garden/laundry-liquids/

 

[Shane/#]

We always appreciate a good bargain, and we know that most of you regularly shop at supermarkets like Woolworths and Coles.

However, we've stumbled across a few reports claiming to have noticed a rather questionable pricing strategy going on in these major grocery chains.

According to an unhappy Woolworths customer who posted on a forum website, they've observed the retailer's prices on popular products being raised so that they can add a large 'Prices Dropped' tag on the shelves.

Shoppers have voiced their frustrations at the seemingly arbitrary price fluctuations followed by seemingly generous discounts. Other forum users said Coles seems to follow the same pattern: 'Coles does the exact same thing.'

View attachment 21892

Retail experts say consumers should be wary of supermarket price drops. Credit: Flickr.

Take the case of a 30-pack box of Pepsi Max: the forum user dug up some records, revealing that the price dropped from $33.50 to $24 on August 30 last year and remained there for quite some time.

However, around April 17, 2023, the price suddenly shot up to $35 before dropping again to $26, now with a 'Was $35 on 17/5/23' sticker. The question here is, who's benefiting from this practice? The customer or the supermarket?

Several other shoppers jumped in with their personal experiences, expressing frustration with the sense of false savings provided by these pricing strategies.

One disgruntled customer criticised the supermarkets, claiming, 'They have made record profits in a time when the supposed reason for price hikes were cost increases for them.'

Professor Jana Bowden of Marketing and Consumer Psychology at Macquarie University advises shoppers to remain wary. 'Big brands regularly raise and then drop their prices at various times throughout the year to encourage consumers to buy,' Professor Bowden told a news outlet.

'Promotional sales tags or "specials" discourage consumers from doing their price homework.'

According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) guidelines, a 'was' or 'strikethrough' price must have been paid by customers for a reasonable period before a sale began; the term 'reasonable' varies from situation to situation.

It appears that these discounts elicit excitement, leading customers to make purchases based on emotion and impulse rather than logic. It's easy to fall for the eye-catching end-of-aisle displays in supermarkets, featuring enticing multi-pack soft drink 'bargains'.

Unfortunately, shoppers often assume that a discount tag signifies an excellent buying opportunity.

Professor Bowden urges vigilance: 'Consumers need to do their homework, especially for products they buy often. That means researching prices over time, knowing what specials are likely to crop up and when, and being aware of whether a promotion is a legitimate promotion or not. It really is a case of buyer beware.'

View attachment 21893

A spokesperson for the supermarket cited supplier cost increases for the fluctuating prices. Credit: Twitter/Woolworths.

In their defence, a Woolworths spokesperson addressed the fluctuating prices, attributing them to significant supplier cost increases over the past 12 to 18 months, resulting in higher retail prices.

They explained, 'Woolworths endeavours to be very clear with its pricing so customers can see the benefit of the shelf price reductions in their seasonal "Prices Dropped" program, regardless of whether it's through our catalogue, in-store or online. The purpose of our seasonal and longer-term "Prices Dropped" programs is to provide better price certainty for longer on lower shelf prices for our customers.'

Key Takeaways

• A Woolworths shopper shared an observation of the retailer's discount tactics on a popular forum, stirring anger among other customers.
• Many shoppers responded with their own examples of supermarkets using this discount tactic, and some claimed Coles does the 'exact same thing'.
• Professor Jana Bowden, an expert in marketing and consumer psychology, says that customers need to do their research and be vigilant when it comes to deals and promotional sales tags.
• In a statement, a Woolworths spokesperson explained the reasoning for fluctuating prices, citing supplier cost price increases and the company's effort to provide clear pricing information to customers.

We urge our Senior Discount Club members to be savvy shoppers and keep an eye out for the fairness of supermarket pricing tactics. Always double-check whether 'discounted' items are genuinely a good deal or just another marketing ploy.

With that said, what are your thoughts on these 'sneaky' pricing tactics in supermarkets? Have you encountered similar experiences? Perhaps you have other noteworthy observations from your supermarket visits that you'd like to share. We would love to hear your input, so please feel free to leave your comments below!

People are to lazy to shop around or is only Coles and Woolworths that are worth shopping at what a load off crap they are RIPPING YOU OFF Aldi has been selling normal coke for months and months at $25.99 a 30 can block and Pepsi Max at $20.99 a 30 can block people need to wake up and start shopping around instead off being blinded by Coles and Woolworths advertising get it through your thick skulls they don't give a dam about customers it's profit over customers and when both supermarkets have cornered the market like they have they set the prices to rip you off

 

[mylittletibbies]

I save

People are to lazy to shop around or is only Coles and Woolworths that are worth shopping at what a load off crap they are RIPPING YOU OFF Aldi has been selling normal coke for months and months at $25.99 a 30 can block and Pepsi Max at $20.99 a 30 can block people need to wake up and start shopping around instead off being blinded by Coles and Woolworths advertising get it through your thick skulls they don't give a dam about customers it's profit over customers and when both supermarkets have cornered the market like they have they set the prices to rip you off

I save about $50 or more a fortnight shopping at Aldi, but when you tell people they say stupid things like "but I have to pack my own groceries" or ," they charge a surcharge if I use my card". So do Coles and Woolies and the packing fee, it's just all hidden in the higher prices you pay. Nobody gives you nothing for nothing
One lady even commented on this site that she only saved about $10
a week shopping at Aldi, what's wrong with $520 a year, and she obviously didn't buy much to only save $10.
People like to whinge about Coles and Woolies, but a lot of them won't even give Aldi a try. Unfortunately though some people don't have an Aldi in their area .

 

[Evol P]

Yes, i am regularly seeing a drop in weight of my groceries - no drop in prices though.

I think that the biggest & most common gouging is weight changes. Often the price will rise by a few cents, but the weight drops by quite a few grams. The pack size is often unchanged. Thus doubling the actual price. The practise of showing cost per 100g evens that out, but that is often very hard to see. Eventually the original package is returned with the name "Party Pack" or "Super Sized". We are not dumb.

 

[Izzabel]

We always appreciate a good bargain, and we know that most of you regularly shop at supermarkets like Woolworths and Coles.

However, we've stumbled across a few reports claiming to have noticed a rather questionable pricing strategy going on in these major grocery chains.

According to an unhappy Woolworths customer who posted on a forum website, they've observed the retailer's prices on popular products being raised so that they can add a large 'Prices Dropped' tag on the shelves.

Shoppers have voiced their frustrations at the seemingly arbitrary price fluctuations followed by seemingly generous discounts. Other forum users said Coles seems to follow the same pattern: 'Coles does the exact same thing.'

View attachment 21892

Retail experts say consumers should be wary of supermarket price drops. Credit: Flickr.

Take the case of a 30-pack box of Pepsi Max: the forum user dug up some records, revealing that the price dropped from $33.50 to $24 on August 30 last year and remained there for quite some time.

However, around April 17, 2023, the price suddenly shot up to $35 before dropping again to $26, now with a 'Was $35 on 17/5/23' sticker. The question here is, who's benefiting from this practice? The customer or the supermarket?

Several other shoppers jumped in with their personal experiences, expressing frustration with the sense of false savings provided by these pricing strategies.

One disgruntled customer criticised the supermarkets, claiming, 'They have made record profits in a time when the supposed reason for price hikes were cost increases for them.'

Professor Jana Bowden of Marketing and Consumer Psychology at Macquarie University advises shoppers to remain wary. 'Big brands regularly raise and then drop their prices at various times throughout the year to encourage consumers to buy,' Professor Bowden told a news outlet.

'Promotional sales tags or "specials" discourage consumers from doing their price homework.'

According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) guidelines, a 'was' or 'strikethrough' price must have been paid by customers for a reasonable period before a sale began; the term 'reasonable' varies from situation to situation.

It appears that these discounts elicit excitement, leading customers to make purchases based on emotion and impulse rather than logic. It's easy to fall for the eye-catching end-of-aisle displays in supermarkets, featuring enticing multi-pack soft drink 'bargains'.

Unfortunately, shoppers often assume that a discount tag signifies an excellent buying opportunity.

Professor Bowden urges vigilance: 'Consumers need to do their homework, especially for products they buy often. That means researching prices over time, knowing what specials are likely to crop up and when, and being aware of whether a promotion is a legitimate promotion or not. It really is a case of buyer beware.'

View attachment 21893

A spokesperson for the supermarket cited supplier cost increases for the fluctuating prices. Credit: Twitter/Woolworths.

In their defence, a Woolworths spokesperson addressed the fluctuating prices, attributing them to significant supplier cost increases over the past 12 to 18 months, resulting in higher retail prices.

They explained, 'Woolworths endeavours to be very clear with its pricing so customers can see the benefit of the shelf price reductions in their seasonal "Prices Dropped" program, regardless of whether it's through our catalogue, in-store or online. The purpose of our seasonal and longer-term "Prices Dropped" programs is to provide better price certainty for longer on lower shelf prices for our customers.'

Key Takeaways

• A Woolworths shopper shared an observation of the retailer's discount tactics on a popular forum, stirring anger among other customers.
• Many shoppers responded with their own examples of supermarkets using this discount tactic, and some claimed Coles does the 'exact same thing'.
• Professor Jana Bowden, an expert in marketing and consumer psychology, says that customers need to do their research and be vigilant when it comes to deals and promotional sales tags.
• In a statement, a Woolworths spokesperson explained the reasoning for fluctuating prices, citing supplier cost price increases and the company's effort to provide clear pricing information to customers.

We urge our Senior Discount Club members to be savvy shoppers and keep an eye out for the fairness of supermarket pricing tactics. Always double-check whether 'discounted' items are genuinely a good deal or just another marketing ploy.

With that said, what are your thoughts on these 'sneaky' pricing tactics in supermarkets? Have you encountered similar experiences? Perhaps you have other noteworthy observations from your supermarket visits that you'd like to share. We would love to hear your input, so please feel free to leave your comments below!

This is nothing new. I observed this "scam" a couple of years ago when I noticed the price o water going up exorbitantly and then a few weeks later it dropped to just a little over what it was before the big increase.