Down Down? We Never Went Up.

By now, most Australians have seen the news. The Federal Court ruled this month that Coles misled shoppers through its famous "Down Down" campaign — raising prices first, then promoting the lower price as a discount.

The court found that Coles manipulated prices on hundreds of products to create the illusion of savings, while Australian families were dealing with inflation, rising rents, and mounting household bills.

It's a pattern Australians have suspected for years. Now it's been proven in court.

What "Down Down" Actually Meant

Take one example that emerged during the case. A product was sold at $4 for 303 days. The price was then suddenly raised 50% to $6 — for just seven days. It was then reduced to $4.50 and promoted under the "Down Down" banner. That's 13% more than customers had paid for the previous 303 days.

The "discount" was real. The savings were not.

Why This Matters Beyond Groceries

The Coles ruling isn't just about dog food and Tim Tams. It's about a broader pattern of how large retailers treat their customers — as people to be managed, not people to be served.

Australia Institute Chief Economist Greg Jericho put it plainly: "The Federal Court has found what Australian shoppers have known for years — supermarkets use fake discounts to rip them off."

When trust breaks down between a brand and its customers, it doesn't come back easily.

A Different Approach

At AVONEST, our hero product is one birch wood bed frame. We have one price list. And we have never raised our prices to then discount them.

Our EOFY sale is exactly what it says it is. The original price is the original price. The sale price is genuinely lower. No games. No "was" prices that were only "was" for seven days.

In a high-inflation environment, where the cost of living keeps rising and consumer trust in large retailers is at a historic low, we made a deliberate choice: don't raise prices. Don't manipulate. Don't treat customers as a number on a spreadsheet.

What Our EOFY Sale Actually Means

Our birch wood bed frame EOFY prices:

• Double: $799 — saving $336 off the original price
• Queen: $899 — saving $351 off the original price
• King: $999 — saving $416 off the original price

These prices have been published, unchanged, since our EOFY sale began. They will not change until the sale ends. And when the sale ends, the price goes back to the original — not to an inflated "was" price we invented last week.

That's what a genuine discount looks like.

Honest Prices. Real Savings.

The EOFY sale is on now. Free next-day delivery across Melbourne metro. You choose the day it arrives.

Visit avonest.com.au