Today's decision against Coles is an important win for Australian consumers.
The Albanese Government acknowledges the Federal Court's finding that Coles breached the law and thanks the ACCC for its careful work in holding large firms to account.
This case affirms a basic principle: a discount should mean a real saving, not a pricing trick. Consumers shouldn't be treated like mugs. Shoppers should be able to trust the ticket on the shelf, without needing a spreadsheet at the checkout. Australians deserve clear and honest pricing every time they shop.
The ACCC is doing exactly what it should, enforcing the rules and taking on some of the largest players in the economy. Since 2022, the Albanese Government has backed that work by lifting maximum penalties to $100 million, strengthening consumer protections and investing in enforcement.
In this year's Budget, we invested $100 million over four years to promote competition and protect consumers, including $67.7 million to boost the ACCC's enforcement capacity, building on a further $30 million targeted at conduct in the supermarket and retail sectors.
We're also acting to strengthen the law itself. This week, the Albanese Government passed the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Unfair Trading Practices) Bill 2026 through the House, which will be the biggest upgrade to consumer protections in more than a decade.
These reforms draw a clear line: competition should be based on value and service, not tricks and manipulation. They close the gaps that allow consumers to be pressured, confused or trapped, despite the Opposition questioning whether these protections were even necessary.
We have also secured passage of the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Responding to Exceptional Circumstances) Bill 2026 through the Senate, despite the Opposition voting against the Bill. The Bill gives the ACCC faster and more flexible tools to work with industry during disruption, helping protect consumers while preserving strong safeguards and the public interest test. It also enables maximum penalties under the Oil Code of Conduct to be set at $10 million.
The work continues. The Government is banning supermarket price gouging and tackling shrinkflation through stronger unit pricing and new penalties to help Australians get a better deal at the checkout.
The Albanese Government will continue to stand up for consumers, because markets work best when they are fair, transparent, and built on trust.
