During a landmark trial in the federal court, Paul Harker, chief commercial officer of Woolworths, defended the supermarket's 'Prices Dropped' promotional program against allegations from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). The ACCC claims that between September 2021 and May 2023, Woolworths raised prices on at least 266 products before offering them at supposedly discounted rates, which were often higher than the original prices. Harker acknowledged that the company relaxed its internal policies, known as 'guardrails', which previously required products to be sold at a stable price for at least nine months before being eligible for promotion. The timeframe was reduced to as little as three to six weeks. Harker stated that these changes were necessary due to rising inflation, shifting the focus from managing supplier dynamics to consumer pricing. The case centers on whether Woolworths intentionally manipulated pricing to mislead customers about discounts, raising concerns about consumer trust in promotional practices.