THE Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced on Monday it had commenced separate legal proceedings against both Coles and Woolworths for allegedly breaching the Australian Consumer Law by misleading consumers through discount pricing claims on hundreds of common supermarket products.

The ACCC’s allegations relate to products sold by each of Woolworths and Coles at regular long-term prices which remained the same, excluding short-term specials, for at least six months and in many cases for at least a year.