Source : Perth Now news
Woolworths has added more than a hundred extra products on its continuous “Lower Shelf Price” scheme just days away from the company posting its full-year financial results.
The supermarket giant will post its financial returns on Wednesday, as the Federal Court mulls its decision on whether Woolworths deceived shoppers with allegedly fake discounts under the “Prices Dropped” promotion.
Coles was similarly sued by the competition regulator, and the Federal Court earlier this year ruled Coles did break consumer law by misleading shoppers on discount prices in 2022 and 2023.
A separate court case has been heard against Woolworths but a decision is yet to be released.
Woolworths is accused of pushing fake discounts on 266 products between September 2021 and May 2023.
Ahead of Woolworths’ financial results on Wednesday, the company announced 105 more products are now on the “Lower Shelf Price” promotion – taking the scheme’s total offerings to 1035 staple products, such as mince, chicken and eggs.
The scheme brings an average discount of 16 per cent on a $150 shop of entirely “Lower Shelf Price” items, the company says.
Woolworths chief executive Amanda Bardwell said shoppers wanted dependable low prices every week.
“We are committed to continuing to provide meaningful value to families on the products that are most important in their weekly shop.
“Lower Shelf Price is giving customers lower prices for longer, and we’ve seen more and more people adding these products to their trolley to spend less on everyday household essentials.”
Examples provided by Woolworths show the largest reductions for staple items range up to 40 per cent for Kirks soft drink, and 41 per cent off Rexona deodorant and Bulla ice cream.
Woolworths’ own-brand diced chicken breast, beef mince, pork mince and beef burgers are all coming down between 5.6 per cent to 12.9 per cent.
Woolworths’ share price has rocketed up 31.7 per cent in 2026, outperforming the consumer stock index by 14 per cent over the past 12 months.
Coles’ share price recorded more modest gains over the past year, and the pending Federal Court fines over its “Down Down” discount claims could run into the hundreds of millions of dollars.
