Coles drops prices on hundreds of items

Coles will lower the cost of more than 300 products across its meat, bakery and pantry categories in a cost-of-living reprieve for struggling families.

The price drops will be active from April 3 until June 25 and includes grocery items such as Coles Australian lamb shanks two pack ($8.50/kg from $9.50/kg), Coles Australian pork cutlets ($18/kg from $21/kg), Tip Top cafe bread raisin toast ($5 from $6.90) and Vittoria espresso capsules 12 pack ($5 from $10).

Pre-made freezer meals including McCain delish potato gratin ($6 from $8.60), McCain red box plated meals ($6.50 from $7.50) and Nannas family frozen apple pie ($4 from $5) have also had their prices lowered.

Coles said the cost-saving move was motivated by customer research that found one in four households froze some of their meat bought from supermarkets, with 61 per cent reporting they had increased the amount they cooked at home.

Coles chief commercial officer Anna Croft said the lower prices would allow households to stock up.

“We’ve also reduced the price on a wide selection of household staples including coffee, laundry liquid and canned vegetables to help customers save while stocking up, having more than 500 products on Down Down pricing throughout April in addition to our weekly specials across the store,” she said.

Coles and Woolworths have both been accused of price gouging amid an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission inquiry into supermarket prices.

A dual Greens-led senate inquiry is also ongoing, with both grocery giants, which control about two-thirds of Australia’s supermarket industry, set to give evidence before the committee.

The companies have denied allegations of inflating prices.