Overview
- The Woolworths hearing has closed with Justice Michael O'Bryan reserving judgment, alongside his already reserved ruling in the parallel Coles case.
- The judge signaled he will test whether the higher “was” prices were genuine market prices offered for a reasonable period rather than rely on Woolworths’ internal rules.
- The ACCC alleges the chain used brief price hikes followed by Prices Dropped tickets to create illusory savings on 266 items, using regular white shelf tags that suggested stability.
- Woolworths argues the raised prices reflected supplier requests during inflation, were competitive, and were validated by high sales volumes at those levels.
- An adverse ruling could bring fines of about $50 million per company, trigger class actions, and force new guardrails on how retailers present discounts to shoppers.