Paul (00:00):
Could a class action succeed against Coles and Woolies over their actions? Well, Peter Carter is the director of Compensation at Carter Capner Law. Peter Carter, good afternoon to you.

Peter (00:11):
Good afternoon, Paul.

Paul (00:14):
What is it that you are mulling over when it comes to potential action against Woolies and Coles?

Peter (00:19):
Well, the ACCC is doing one thing in terms of regulatory oversight, but our action is to get some money back in the pockets of the consumers who were duped by the deceptive practices of the grocery giants.

Paul (00:34):
So, just to talk that through, how is that different from the ACCC action?

Peter (00:41):
The ACCC is focused on imposing a penalty for the breach of law by Coles and Woolies. What we are doing is aimed at returning money to the consumers who overpaid due to deceptive pricing.

Paul (01:08):
Okay. And for people unfamiliar with how a class action lawsuit could work, how does that result in money going back into the pockets of consumers?

Peter (01:18):
For instance, a large household spending $500 weekly at a supermarket may have overpaid by around 10%. That’s $50 a week, and over a year, that adds up to a significant amount—between $2,000 and $3,000 in compensation.

Paul (01:57):
Why have you decided to take this on?

Peter (02:01):
As a consumer law firm, this is right in our wheelhouse. But more importantly, we’ve been approached by many consumers who feel deceived and betrayed by companies they trusted.

Paul (02:26):
The ACCC has certain powers for collecting evidence. What ability do you have to uncover internal decisions or information necessary for this lawsuit?

Peter (02:49):
The case will be supervised by the federal court, which will make orders for the disclosure of evidence from Coles and Woolies. Data on consumer purchases from grocery apps and the pricing history of goods will be key.

Paul (03:27):
How much do you think could be recovered from a case like this?

Peter (03:32):
While we aim for fair compensation, this affects half the households in the country. The amount could be substantial.

Paul (04:02):
Does this mean that anyone who has shopped at Coles or Woolworths could potentially receive compensation?

Peter (04:13):
Yes, provided they register for the class action on our website.

Paul (04:24):
Has a consumer class action like this been attempted before in Australia?

Peter (04:32):
There have been class actions against banks and companies for misleading conduct. It’s not unusual to bring one against large retailers, and it’s a positive step forward.

Paul (05:07):
Considering the number of people involved, could this be one of the broadest class actions in Australian history?

Peter (05:07):
Yes, and the big task will be distributing the compensation fairly across different tiers once we secure a victory.