Class lawsuit claims supermarkets misled customers on discounts, shoppers act
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As the trusted voice for the over-60s community, we always seek news that could impact your wallet.
Today, we're announcing a significant development that could allow many of our members to reclaim a substantial sum of money.
A major class action lawsuit has been launched against the supermarket giants Woolworths and Coles, stirring up quite the conversation.
The legal action, filed by Gerard Malouf & Partners, stems from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) investigation into supermarkets' pricing practices.
The heart of the matter lies in the claim that both Woolworths and Coles had engaged in deceptive pricing strategies that may have misled customers into believing they were receiving discounts on their purchases when, in fact, the savings were non-existent.
The lawsuit alleges that this conduct violated Australian Consumer Law and caused economic harm to consumers who paid inflated prices for products they thought were on special offer.
The potential payout for those affected by this alleged misconduct is not insignificant.
While the exact amount will vary from shopper to shopper, Gerard Malouf & Partners have indicated that compensation could range from $200 to over $1,300.
Meanwhile, Carter Capner Law, also pursuing the supermarkets, suggested that households could claim between $2,000 and $5,000, depending on the extent of the impact of the deceptive pricing.
The class action is a response to the ACCC's Federal Court action against Woolworths and Coles.
The ACCC has accused supermarkets of inflating the prices of specific products by at least 15 per cent while the purchase prices remained steady for extended periods.
These products were then allegedly included in the supermarkets' ongoing discount promotions—'Prices Dropped' for Woolworths and 'Down Down' for Coles—even though the promotional prices were reportedly higher than, or the same as, the previous regular prices.
You may be eligible if you shopped at Coles or Woolworths, in-store or online, between February 2022 and May 2023 and purchased products marked as 'Price Dropped' or 'Down Down'.
To express your interest in joining the class action, visit the links by Gerard Malouf & Partners for Coles and Woolworths or the link provided by Carter Capner Law.
The lawsuit will focus on four main components: deceptive pricing practices, violation of Australian Consumer Law, economic harm to consumers, and misrepresentation of savings.
The ACCC's chair, Gina Cass-Gottlieb, has emphasised that Australian consumers have been led to believe that these promotions indicated a sustained reduction in regular prices, which the ACCC alleges was not the case.
The watchdog has estimated that 'tens of millions of the affected products' were sold, resulting in 'significant revenue' for the supermarkets.
With such high stakes, it's no wonder the law firms have received an 'avalanche of calls from outraged customers.'
Have you noticed any discrepancies in the pricing of products during your shopping trips to Woolworths or Coles? Do you plan to join the class action? Share your experiences and thoughts in the comments below.
Today, we're announcing a significant development that could allow many of our members to reclaim a substantial sum of money.
A major class action lawsuit has been launched against the supermarket giants Woolworths and Coles, stirring up quite the conversation.
The legal action, filed by Gerard Malouf & Partners, stems from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) investigation into supermarkets' pricing practices.
The heart of the matter lies in the claim that both Woolworths and Coles had engaged in deceptive pricing strategies that may have misled customers into believing they were receiving discounts on their purchases when, in fact, the savings were non-existent.
Class action against Coles and Woolworths regarding deceptive pricing practices was launched. Credit: Unsplash
The lawsuit alleges that this conduct violated Australian Consumer Law and caused economic harm to consumers who paid inflated prices for products they thought were on special offer.
The potential payout for those affected by this alleged misconduct is not insignificant.
While the exact amount will vary from shopper to shopper, Gerard Malouf & Partners have indicated that compensation could range from $200 to over $1,300.
Meanwhile, Carter Capner Law, also pursuing the supermarkets, suggested that households could claim between $2,000 and $5,000, depending on the extent of the impact of the deceptive pricing.
The class action is a response to the ACCC's Federal Court action against Woolworths and Coles.
The ACCC has accused supermarkets of inflating the prices of specific products by at least 15 per cent while the purchase prices remained steady for extended periods.
These products were then allegedly included in the supermarkets' ongoing discount promotions—'Prices Dropped' for Woolworths and 'Down Down' for Coles—even though the promotional prices were reportedly higher than, or the same as, the previous regular prices.
You may be eligible if you shopped at Coles or Woolworths, in-store or online, between February 2022 and May 2023 and purchased products marked as 'Price Dropped' or 'Down Down'.
To express your interest in joining the class action, visit the links by Gerard Malouf & Partners for Coles and Woolworths or the link provided by Carter Capner Law.
The lawsuit will focus on four main components: deceptive pricing practices, violation of Australian Consumer Law, economic harm to consumers, and misrepresentation of savings.
The ACCC's chair, Gina Cass-Gottlieb, has emphasised that Australian consumers have been led to believe that these promotions indicated a sustained reduction in regular prices, which the ACCC alleges was not the case.
The watchdog has estimated that 'tens of millions of the affected products' were sold, resulting in 'significant revenue' for the supermarkets.
With such high stakes, it's no wonder the law firms have received an 'avalanche of calls from outraged customers.'
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