Coles Supermarket has come under scrutiny as a customer’s TikTok video exposed what appears to be “sneaky” pricing tactics on its “specials”.
The viral video posted by @amberjade316 shows a 350g Vegemite Squeeze product with a discount label offering it at $7.30.
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However, when the customer lifted the yellow tag, the original price was revealed to be $7.
The video quickly gained attention on TikTok, attracting almost 400,000 views and sparking outrage among Australian viewers.
Many commenters speculated that these so-called “specials” were actually price increases, while some viewers reasoned that the “special” price might have been printed incorrectly.
“That’s literally a crime,” one person commented on Tiktok.
“Can we all agree on a day that no one shops at Coles or Woollies.”
“If they call a price increase a ‘special’, that’s misleading or deceptive conduct. Please complain to your state’s ACCC pet with original footage,” another added.
This incident follows a report by The Daily Telegraph, revealing that Coles’ overall prices had increased by 6.8 per cent since mid-2022, and many Australian families struggled to afford groceries under the cost of living pressure.
A Coles spokesperson confirmed to Sky News that the pricing error was an anomaly and not common price as many suggested on the video.
“Coles takes clear and accurate pricing information on tickets very seriously. We always aim to ensure that our specials represent value for our customers,” they said.
“We have investigated the products featured in these videos and have identified there has been a ticketing error.
“We are urgently updating the two tickets to ensure that accurate pricing is reflected on the shelf for our customers as well as reviewing how the error occurred.”
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