Supermarket giants face lawsuit over fake fresh produce discounts
Aldi, Coles and Woolworths accused of misleading customers about the freshness and price of their fruit and vegetables.
The three major supermarket chains are facing a class action lawsuit alleging they have misled customers about the freshness and price of their fruit and vegetables.
The lawsuit, filed in the Federal Court of Australia, alleges that Aldi, Coles and Woolworths have engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct by:
- Selling fruit and vegetables that are not fresh as advertised;
- Charging more for fruit and vegetables than the advertised price;
- Failing to clearly display the price of fruit and vegetables.
The lawsuit is being brought on behalf of consumers who have purchased fruit and vegetables from Aldi, Coles or Woolworths since 2019.
The lead plaintiff in the lawsuit is Ms. Sarah Jones, a consumer from Sydney who alleges that she was misled by Aldi about the freshness of the strawberries she purchased.
Ms. Jones claims that she purchased a punnet of strawberries from Aldi that were advertised as being "fresh and ripe." However, when she got home, she discovered that the strawberries were mouldy and rotten.
Ms. Jones is seeking damages from Aldi for the cost of the strawberries, as well as compensation for the inconvenience and distress she suffered as a result of Aldi's alleged misleading and deceptive conduct.
The lawsuit is being funded by law firm Slater and Gordon.
Slater and Gordon lawyer, Mr. Andrew Grech, said that the lawsuit was filed after the firm received a number of complaints from consumers about the freshness and price of fruit and vegetables sold by Aldi, Coles and Woolworths.
Mr. Grech said that the lawsuit is an important step towards ensuring that supermarkets are held accountable for their conduct.
"We believe that Aldi, Coles and Woolworths have misled consumers about the freshness and price of their fruit and vegetables," Mr. Grech said.
"This lawsuit is an opportunity for consumers to seek compensation for the losses they have suffered as a result of the supermarkets' alleged misleading and deceptive conduct."
Aldi, Coles and Woolworths have not yet responded to the lawsuit.
