It is ironic that the supermarket giant has been found guilty of moving too fast to provide cost-of-living relief to shoppers at a time of rapid inflation.

In a landmark decision, Justice Michael O’Bryan found the discounts were based on previous prices that were offered for too short a period to be considered real.

Coles engaged in “misleading” marketing through its Down Down campaign, offering discounts that an ordinary consumer would not believe were genuine, a judge has ruled.