Coles and Woolworths announce major grocery savings

Just two days after Woolworths revealed it would slash the cost of almost 400 essential items in a longer-term campaign to ease cost-of-living pressures, Coles has highlighted its existing seasonal price cuts across hundreds of grocery products.

Woolworths’ new pricing initiative, announced last week, will see reductions on family favourites including chicken schnitzels, Greek yoghurt, frozen berries and Coca-Cola bottles.

The supermarket giant said the changes, set to begin Wednesday, would offer average savings of 10 per cent, with prices locked in until at least the end of the year and potentially through to 2026.

Coles responded on Monday, pointing to its autumn discounts already in place across more than 680 ‘down down’ products both in-store and online, with average savings claimed at 21 per cent.

However, unlike Woolworths’ commitment to long-term shelf prices, Coles said its promotions reflected seasonal availability and were designed to reward customers with savings on their favourite products throughout the year.

“We know customers are on the lookout for great value all year round, and we remain focused on delivering that through thousands of weekly specials, including half-priced items as well as ‘down down’ products across popular brands and exclusive Coles Own Brand products,” a Coles spokesperson said.

“We are continuing to invest in value and will have further savings to announce for the Winter months.”

Coles price dropsFlybuys members can also access personalised offers, discounts, bonus points, and even free items through the Coles app, while shoppers can save up to 20 per cent on fresh produce through the supermarket’s “I’m perfect” range, which features cosmetically imperfect fruit and vegetables that still meet taste and nutrition standards.

Coles’ liquor arm, Liquorland, is also matching lower prices from competitors on identical items in the same state, with terms and conditions applying.

Woolworths has emphasised that its latest price cuts are part of a rare long-term commitment, rather than a short-term promotion, an approach less commonly taken by major supermarkets.Woolworths CEO Amanda Bardwell said shoppers can expect an average 10 per cent drop in prices across the 400 discounted products, potentially saving a family spending $150 each week around $15.

“Individually, each lower shelf price might not seem like a dramatic difference, but they will add up to real savings,” Ms Bardwell said.

“This isn’t just a short-term promotion, it’s a long-term commitment to delivering genuine, dependable value for our customers.

Ms Bardwell said the initiative would provide “meaningful relief” at the checkout and indicated the company planned to expand the program, with the current savings in place until at least 2026.

The twin announcements come as the retail giants face increasing public and political scrutiny over grocery pricing, with many Australians struggling to manage rising household costs.