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    Coles’ shameless ‘Down Down’ promotions have been exposed. So why aren’t they even trying to rebuild trust? | John Quiggin
    Australia

    Coles’ shameless ‘Down Down’ promotions have been exposed. So why aren’t they even trying to rebuild trust? | John Quiggin


    Coles’ shameless ‘Down Down’ promotions have been exposed. So why aren’t they even trying to rebuild trust? | John Quiggin

    https://www.theguardian.com/business/commentisfree/2026/feb/19/coles-shameless-down-down-promotions-have-been-exposed-so-why-arent-they-even-trying-to-rebuilt-trust

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    28 Comments

    2. OkBookkeeper6854 on

      Lawyers are calling this case Coles Law

      Its basically shredded cabbage with a vinaigrette

    3. a_cold_human on

      They’re part of a duopoly and the ACCC hasn’t got the resources or powers to actually penalise them in a way that’d change their behaviour. 

    4. O_DoyleRulz on

      They could change the slogan to “up up, prices are up” “fuck you, prices are up” and half the country would still have to shop there.

    6. lapsuscalamari on

      Because the size of the fine in the new legal regime hits the boards KPI’s hard and they won’t be loved in the share market if they pay out at scale. Obscene lawyer fees are way less than the fine. Consumers have precisely Buckleys and None when it comes to real choice and won’t leave in droves. It’s a marginal change which will drift back, and if they shut the F up and do some rational repricing (make the supplier pay as usual) they can in the end, get where they need to be.

      Woolies will be shitting themselves they’re next. They just don’t have the same path to lawsuit Coles do right now, but if coles lose, Woolies is next.

    9. drangryrahvin on

      Because in 4 months the news ragecycle will have moved on, and people’s short memory and laziness creates inertia, and nobody will really stop buying there.

      And they know it.

    16. rabbit_hole_engineer on

      I don’t want to buy your Coles brand cardboard food anyway. It’s so cynical they remove options to promote their lower quality highly processed slop.

    17. CelebrationFit8548 on

      A complete lack of meaningful competition, especially when you use the ‘FlyBuys’ card promos, getting 10,000 points every 2nd month.

    18. blowingkeyofg on

      Why indeed
      Because the corporate world thinks people below them are dumb and why should they care.
      Remember the money they made through Covid and nothing was on special. They’re not interested helping Australian people in tough times
      And people still will spend their pittance they earn at their chain stores.
      No matter what they do people still buy from Woolworths or Coles and not boycott to teach the lesson.
      I always shop at Foodland,
      local products for local people.
      Stop now and shop local.
      Make them pay by depriving your wallet in store and stop paying people that are to greedy and sneaky

    19. happ-e-rider on

      Due to the lack of competition they probably feel they don’t have to.
      In reality what are our options….Woolworths.

    23. ShadowExtinkt on

      Coles really went in with the defense of “Let me reassure you, your fears are unfounded and your complaints, moronic”

    25. PinothyJ on

      One thing I have noticed with Aldi, is that because they are known for being so much cheaper, so many people have this idea in their head that they are not cheap themselves, so why would they shop there? The same people who would not he caught dead listeningbti a community radio station, lest people they they are “at that level”.

      And so, to those people, I say “good. Suck eggs, I guess.”

      Then there are places that have no choice and that is just sad.

    26. HowtoCrackanegg on

      Because they (the ones responsible) don’t deal with the shit their underlings deal with