Neil Fairhead

CEO, It’s On Sale

inConnect

Sunday morning update for households heading into the last full week of the halved fuel excise cut, a live safety recall of XTM camping fridge freezers sold at BCF and Supercheap Auto, and an AI powered scam wave that is already piggybacking on the recent Origin Energy data breach. Wednesday 30 July at 11:30am AEST brings the June quarter Consumer Price Index, the release that will decide whether the Reserve Bank hikes on Monday 11 August. Sunday 2 August at midnight brings the full 16 cent per litre unwind of the temporary fuel excise cut. Today’s Top 5 opens with Cotton On at 50 per cent off, and puts Kathmandu at number 3 for any family who now needs to replace a recalled camping fridge in time for the winter school holidays.

ACCC Mandatory Recall Of XTM Portable Camping Fridge Freezers Sold At BCF And Supercheap Auto

Product Safety Australia and the ACCC have issued a mandatory recall of four XTM 12 24 Volt portable camping fridge freezer models sold through BCF and Supercheap Auto between 5 September 2025 and 15 July 2026, per Nash Miller writing at The Southern Wire on 25 July 2026. The recall covers XTM 20 litre, 45 litre, 55 litre and 75 litre variants. The units do not comply with the mandatory Australian flammability requirements and can catch fire in use. The listed hazard on the ACCC Product Safety register is unambiguous: serious injury, death or property damage if a unit ignites while operating in a boot, camper trailer, caravan cargo bay or tent annex. Owners must stop using the fridges immediately.

The remedy is a full refund at either BCF or Supercheap Auto. Australians who purchased through BCF can call BCF Customer Service on 1300 880 764. Supercheap Auto customers can call 1300 175 010. The full recall notice and model list is on the ACCC Product Safety recall register. This is a safety-critical alert heading into the winter school holidays across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia. Any household planning a camper trailer weekend across the coming August long weekend should physically inspect any XTM branded fridge freezer before leaving the driveway. If the unit was purchased in the recall window, it must go back for a refund before the trip, not after. The Australian Consumer Law guarantees a refund for a safety recalled product regardless of how long ago the unit was bought or whether the original receipt survives. Both retailers can look up the transaction from the credit card used at checkout.

Practical Sunday step for readers with a camper trailer or a boat fridge fit out: check the serial and model label on the fridge before dropping it in the boot. If the recall applies, contact BCF or Supercheap Auto today to lock in the refund window. If you need a replacement in time for the winter holidays, avoid the marketplace listings and stick to established Australian outdoor retailers such as Kathmandu, Snowys Outdoors or Tentworld, all of whom stock Engel, Waeco, myCOOLMAN and other compliance-certified camping fridge brands. Never source a portable fridge from Temu, Shein, AliExpress, Wish or any other offshore marketplace: these are exactly the goods that repeatedly fail Australian flammability, electrical and refrigerant standards testing, and returns are close to impossible when things go wrong.

Last Full Week Of The 16 Cent Fuel Excise Cut Before It Fully Unwinds At Midnight Sunday 2 August

The temporary halving of the fuel excise ends at 11:59pm on Sunday 2 August, restoring the full 52 point 8 cents per litre from Monday 3 August. Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen used Friday’s press conference outside a Sydney refinery to confirm that the government will not extend the relief, per Callie Rundle writing at PerthNow on 25 July 2026. Treasurer Jim Chalmers separately confirmed to Sky News that a further extension was unlikely given the state of the budget. NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury told PerthNow that unleaded is currently averaging roughly 1 dollar 85 a litre with diesel around 2 dollars 26 a litre, and that both fuels have moved up around 10 cents through the past week on the back of the Iran conflict.

ABC News reported the same evening that Minister Bowen described Australia’s fuel stock position as “solid and secure” with roughly 42 days of petrol, 27 days of diesel and 30 days of jet fuel in country, alongside 51 vessels at sea carrying 3 point 1 billion litres of refined product, per ABC News on 25 July 2026. That framing is important: the price move heading into August is being driven by the geopolitical risk premium in Brent crude combined with the scheduled excise unwind on 2 August, not by a shortage of fuel. Sydney petrol is already running around 1 dollar 63 point 9 a litre at cycle low sites according to the PetrolPulse Sydney forecast for 25 July 2026, which also flags a further 16 cents per litre climb likely once the excise unwind flows through the terminal gate on Monday 3 August.

Practical Sunday read for households: this is the last weekend in the current cycle where the 16 cent per litre relief still applies at the bowser. If you have not filled the tank since Wednesday, do it today. Check MotorMouth, PetrolSpy or the free 7 Eleven Fuel Lock app to find the current cycle low within a 5 kilometre radius, and lock a low price on Fuel Lock to protect against the Monday 3 August lift for another seven days. Costco Fuel remains 8 to 12 cents cheaper than the equivalent supermarket-branded servo where a Costco membership is held. A two car household running standard weekend distances that fills up today at cycle low and locks a second tank on 7 Eleven Fuel Lock will bank roughly 40 to 55 dollars of savings compared to filling both cars for the first time on the Wednesday after the excise unwind.

Origin Energy Data Breach Now Fuelling An AI Voice Cloning Scam Wave

Former Queensland police officer and cyber security expert Yasmin London warned on 7NEWS on Friday 25 July 2026 that stolen data from the recent Origin Energy customer breach is already being paired with generative AI tools to run voice cloning, deepfake video and impersonation scams against Australians. London’s central point is that a criminal who now holds an Origin customer’s name, address, partial card digits, phone number and service account can use as little as 30 seconds of audio from a person’s social media reels to spin up a convincing family emergency phone call in the voice of a son, daughter or partner. The stolen Origin file is not the only source but it is a fresh one, and the combination of an authentic-looking bill reference from Origin plus an AI-generated voice on the phone is landing successful scam calls this week.

Practical Sunday steps for every Australian household, whether or not the Origin file directly touched them. Set a family safe word and use it. Any call, video or text from a family member asking for money, a code, a login or an urgent transfer must include the safe word or be treated as a scam. Enable two factor authentication on the four accounts that matter most (primary email, primary banking, MyGov and one for the household cloud drive), and use an authenticator app instead of SMS wherever the service allows. Check every household email address against Have I Been Pwned to see which breaches an address appears in. Report anything suspicious to Scamwatch and, for direct financial fraud, to ReportCyber. From 1 July 2026, legitimate SMS from major Australian brands and government departments carries a “Verified” tag under Australia’s new sender ID register. Any SMS from Origin, a bank, myGov or the ATO that does not show the Verified tag can be safely deleted.

What To Shop This Sunday: Fresh Australian Drops

Sunday sits at the crossover between the Saturday scroll and the Monday online tab, and Australian retailers have used the weekend to line up several genuinely fresh drops, per Best Picks Editor coverage at 7NEWS. Sweaty Betty’s British activewear range has landed at Rebel Sport nationwide with a selected assortment of All Powerful leggings, Athlete Seamless bras and Explorer trackpants sitting inside the Rebel Active lineup, timed for the TCS Sydney Marathon training season. HOKA Australia has released the Clifton 11 at 279 dollars 99 cents in six colourways at HOKA AU and stockists. Garmin has stocked the Venu X1 smartwatch at 1499 dollars in titanium with eight day battery life for TCS Sydney Marathon runners. On the beauty side, Priceline has stocked the Bubble Skincare Soft Swerve Barrier Restore Balm at 30 dollars for winter dry skin, and Myer has picked up the new Givenchy Perfecto Serum Lip Oil and Prisme Libre Highlighter. BISSELL Australia has the SpotClean Mini at 179 dollars for apartment-friendly stain removal. Kmart Anko homewares have refreshed their winter cushion and throw ranges under 40 dollars, all designed in Australia at the Kmart Group offices in Melbourne.

Sunday Top 5 Deals

1Today’s Top
DiscountCotton On ClothingWomen's WearUp to 50 per cent off Cotton On: tees, denim, sleepwear, activewear, hoodies and homewares from the Australian-owned Geelong-founded fashion group with over 750 Australian stores, with Afterpay, Zip and Australia-wide shipping.50%OFF2Jac + JackFashionUp to 40 per cent off Jac + Jack: knitwear, tailoring, cashmere, denim and considered basics from the Sydney-founded Australian-owned wardrobe label, with Afterpay, free shipping over $150 and easy 30 day returns.40%OFF3KathmanduOutdoor & CampingUp to 40 per cent off Kathmandu: down jackets, thermals, hiking boots, tents, packs and travel gear from the trans Tasman outdoor specialist, with Summit Club member deals, Afterpay and free shipping over $50.40%OFF4Lounge LoversFurnitureUp to 40 per cent off Lounge Lovers: sofas, beds, dining tables, rugs, lighting and outdoor furniture from the Sydney-founded Australian-owned furniture retailer, with Afterpay, Zip and Australia-wide delivery.40%OFF5RebelSport & FitnessUp to 40 per cent off Rebel: running shoes, gym gear, football boots, cricket kit, racquets and swim from the Australian-owned Super Retail Group flagship, with Rebel Active member deals and click and collect at over 160 stores.40%OFF

Every store in Sunday’s Top 5 is Australian-owned or locally fulfilled. Every discount was checked against the store’s current sale page before publication. None of it is Temu, Shein, AliExpress, Wish or any offshore marketplace dressed up as a local brand. Every product ships from an Australian warehouse and is backed by the Australian Consumer Law. If your XTM camping fridge just went back for a recall refund, Kathmandu at number 3 is the direct next stop.

Other Deals Worth A Look

Beyond the Top 5, a handful of other Australian-owned or locally fulfilled retailers are worth a Sunday scroll ahead of the Wednesday CPI print and the Monday 3 August fuel excise unwind. Strand Bags (today’s Top 6 ticker pick) has up to 40 per cent off suitcases, backpacks, handbags, wallets and travel accessories from the Australian owned bag retailer with over 100 stores, timed for the winter school holidays and August travel. Typo holds up to 50 per cent off stationery, journals, gifts, tech accessories and desk essentials from the Cotton On Group. Glassons Australia continues 50 per cent off dresses, knits and tailoring. Portmans stays at 50 per cent off workwear, dresses and tailoring from the Just Group. Sussan holds 50 per cent off knitwear, dresses and lingerie from the Australian-owned womens fashion brand established in 1939. Koala is at 30 per cent off mattresses, sofas and bedding from the Sydney founded Australian owned bedding brand, with 120 night trials and free shipping. All Australian-owned or locally fulfilled, all backed by the Australian Consumer Law.

Week Ahead

Four dates matter for Australian shopper wallets between today and mid August. Monday 27 July: RBA Deputy Governor Andrew Hauser delivers a scheduled speech on the Australian economic outlook at ANU. Wednesday 30 July at 11:30am AEST: the ABS releases the June quarter Consumer Price Index alongside the June monthly headline CPI, a double release that fixes the inflation reading heading into the RBA August 11 decision and swings rate expectations back up or down. The same 11:30am release drops the June retail turnover figures. Sunday 2 August at 11:59pm: the temporary fuel excise cut fully unwinds and the full 52 point 8 cents per litre excise resumes from Monday 3 August, adding another 10 to 12 cents a litre through the following week on top of the current Brent spike. Monday 11 August at 2:30pm AEST: the RBA cash rate decision, currently priced at roughly a 33 to 40 per cent chance of a 25 basis point hike to 4 per cent following Wednesday’s CPI print. Wednesday 20 August: Afterpay Day begins, four days of BNPL led promotions across fashion, sportswear, homewares and electronics from Australian retailers.

Our Take

Sunday 26 July is the practical planning day. Three tangible household jobs before Monday morning. First, check the model plate on any XTM branded camping fridge freezer in the shed, boot or camper. If it was purchased through BCF or Supercheap Auto in the recall window, get it back for a refund today under the mandatory recall. Second, fill both cars today at cycle low before Monday 27 July when the price rise continues to feed through, and lock a second tank on 7 Eleven Fuel Lock to protect against the Monday 3 August full excise unwind. Third, set a family safe word and enable two factor authentication on the four accounts that matter (primary email, banking, MyGov, cloud drive), then check every household email address against Have I Been Pwned. None of these three moves cost money on a Sunday, and each of them locks in real savings, real safety and real protection against the Monday morning surge in fuel prices, AI scam calls and post-CPI household planning.

That is exactly why It’s On Sale exists. We track 35,000 Australian stores and 45,000 live sale products, every retailer Australian-owned or locally fulfilled, every promotion audited daily against the store’s own price history. No trial traps, no hidden fees, no offshore marketplaces dressed up as a local brand. Today’s Sales shows every store currently running a discount in one place. The AI search reads the way real shoppers ask (try “camping fridge alternative” or “family activewear under 100”). None of it is Temu, Shein, AliExpress, Wish or any offshore marketplace dressed up as a local brand. Browse Today’s Sales on Sunday morning to make your money go further with Australian retailers who stand behind the ticket and the Australian Consumer Law.

It’s On Sale Australia’s home for genuine retail deals. Browse today’s featured stores at itsonsale.com.au.

Neil Fairhead

CEO, It’s On Sale

inConnect

Friday morning and the July numbers just rewrote the household budget forecast: the Australian Bureau of Statistics said 76,300 more Australians were in work in June, more than five times the 15,300 that economists forecast, though the jobless rate held steady at 4 point 4 per cent as an extra 71,000 people came in off the sidelines to hunt for work. Money markets swung sharply, with local rate strategists at Sycamore now pricing a roughly 95 per cent chance the Reserve Bank will lift the cash rate at its 12 August meeting. Origin Energy has walked back Wednesday’s early assurance and confirmed the stolen customer file did include the last four digits of credit cards and last three digits of bank account numbers for up to 4 point 8 million customer accounts. And Brent crude has cracked 100 US dollars a barrel for the first time since May. Today’s Top 5 opens with Kick Push Skate at up to 80 per cent off.

Australian Jobs Boom 76 Thousand In June, RBA August Hike Now Priced At 95 Per Cent

Australian employment surprised sharply to the upside in June, per the June 2026 Labour Force release from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Thursday 23 July at 11:30am AEST. Employment jumped by 76,300 people month on month, more than five times the median economist forecast of 15,300, and the biggest single monthly print since April 2025, per the ABS media release from Sean Crick, ABS head of labour statistics. Full-time positions added 29,300 and part-time roles added 47,000. The headline unemployment rate held at 4 point 4 per cent (technically drifting up from 4 point 37 per cent to 4 point 43 per cent on unrounded figures), because the participation rate rose 0 point 3 percentage points to 67 per cent, its highest level since July 2025, meaning an extra 71,000 Australians came in off the sidelines looking for work. Underemployment lifted 0 point 2 percentage points to 6 point 5 per cent (its highest since August 2024), and the broader underutilisation rate rose to 10 point 9 per cent.

Markets moved sharply on the print, per subsequent reporting by Renju Jose and Stella Qiu at Reuters, 23 July 2026, and separate coverage by Bloomberg News, 23 July 2026. The Australian dollar climbed and ASX-listed bank stocks lifted while rate-sensitive REIT names slid. On Thursday afternoon, local rate strategist Sycamore told Yasmine Wafai at The Courier Mail the market now prices a 95 per cent chance the Reserve Bank hikes the cash rate 25 basis points to 4 per cent at its Tuesday 12 August meeting, citing the strong jobs print combined with Brent crude climbing to US$100 a barrel overnight. NAB has now formally pulled forward its expected hike call to August from June, per the NAB economics team, 23 July 2026.

Practical shopper read: if you carry a mortgage, an August 25 basis point hike would add roughly 45 to 55 dollars per month to repayments on a 500,000 dollar loan and about 90 to 110 dollars on 1 million dollars, depending on your term remaining and current variable rate. Do the maths against your July statement now rather than waiting for the August one to land. If your fixed-rate rollover is due between now and December, ring your bank today and ask them to run a 4 per cent cash rate scenario against your current arrears buffer. If you are on variable, use one of the free comparison tools (Canstar, Finder, or Mozo) to check whether any of the smaller Australian lenders (Athena, Tic:Toc, Homeloans.com.au, ubank) is holding fire on hikes for new customers, several typically absorb the first move to steal share. And if a hike would push you past the household stress threshold (roughly 40 per cent of after-tax income to mortgage plus utilities plus fuel), talk to a National Debt Helpline financial counsellor before the RBA meeting, not after. All of it is free.

Origin Energy Confirms Bank And Card Data Were Stolen In Breach

Origin Energy has substantially revised what it told the market on Wednesday, per Sarah Basford Canales and Rafqa Touma at The Guardian Australia, 23 July 2026. Origin said Wednesday that the leaked customer sample did not appear to contain credit card or bank account information. On Thursday, Origin walked that back and confirmed the exposed data does include the last four digits of credit card numbers and the last three digits of bank account numbers alongside names, residential addresses, postal addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers, and Origin account details, for up to 4 point 8 million customer accounts covering electricity, gas, LPG and internet services. Chief executive Frank Calabria apologised to customers and confirmed Origin is working with the Australian Cyber Security Centre, the Australian Federal Police and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. Origin says full account numbers and full card details are not in the exposed set.

Independent cyber experts told Nassim Khadem at ABC News on Friday 24 July 2026 that the specific mix of exposed data (last four credit card digits, last three bank digits, plus DOB and address) is unusually well-suited to fuel AI-powered voice and text scams, because a scammer can quote a genuine partial card or account number in a call or SMS to establish trust before extracting the rest. Australians should assume any inbound call or SMS in the next 60 days claiming to be from Origin, or from a bank quoting the last few digits of a card or account, is potentially fraudulent regardless of how convincing it sounds.

Practical shopper read: if you are or were an Origin electricity, gas, LPG or internet customer in the past decade, do these four things today. First, log in to your card provider and bank apps and turn on real time transaction alerts for every card and account. Second, freeze your credit file at Equifax, Illion and Experian (all three are free at each bureau’s site). Third, never authorise a payment, share a one time code, or click a login link inside an inbound call, SMS or email claiming to be Origin: always hang up, then type origin.com.au directly into the browser or ring the number on the back of your card. Fourth, ask your bank to reissue any card whose last four digits may have been in your Origin account, most Australian banks will do this free within three business days. The Notifiable Data Breaches scheme entitles you to written confirmation of whether your specific record was in the exposed set.

Petrol Costs Set To Climb Again As Brent Cracks 100 Dollars

Brent crude closed above 100 US dollars a barrel for the first time since May overnight Thursday, per the ABC News markets live blog, 24 July 2026. Combined with the residual unwind of the fuel excise cut (worth roughly 10 to 12 cents a litre when the last tranche lifts at 11:59pm on Sunday 2 August) and the current mid-cycle recovery in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane retail pump prices, Australian consumers should model diesel at 2 dollars 25 to 2 dollars 35 a litre and unleaded 91 at 1 dollar 92 to 2 dollars flat across the first fortnight of August in the eastern capitals.

Practical shopper read: keep using MotorMouth and PetrolSpy to find the current lowest price within 5 kilometres before you leave the driveway. The 7-Eleven Fuel Lock app still holds a price for seven days, valuable to snap on Wednesday or Thursday when the next cycle low prints. Costco Fuel remains 8 to 12 cents cheaper than the equivalent supermarket-branded servo where you are a member. If your household filled two vehicles weekly at 55 cents cheaper per litre through disciplined price shopping, you would recover 45 to 60 dollars a fortnight to offset the fuel run.

Friday’s Top 5 Deals

1Today’s Top
DiscountKick Push SkateSkate & ScootersUp to 80 per cent off Kick Push Skate: complete skateboards, cruisers, longboards, decks, trucks, wheels, protective gear and skate shoes from the Melbourne-founded Australian-owned specialty skate retailer, with Afterpay, Zip and Australia-wide shipping.80%OFF2ShowpoWomen's WearUp to 80 per cent off Showpo: dresses, tops, denim, activewear, occasion wear and accessories from the Sydney-founded Australian-owned womenswear label that ships from an Australian warehouse, with Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over $50.80%OFF3UGG ExpressUgg BootsUp to 80 per cent off UGG Express: classic sheepskin boots, slippers, moccasins and slides from the Australian ugg manufacturer producing genuine sheepskin footwear locally, with Afterpay, Zip and free Australia-wide shipping.80%OFF4Eckersley'sArt SuppliesUp to 70 per cent off Eckersley’s: artist paints, brushes, canvases, sketchbooks, easels and craft supplies from the family-owned Australian art materials chain founded in 1946 with stores nationwide, with Afterpay, Zip and click and collect.70%OFF5DuskCandles & HomewaresUp to 50 per cent off Dusk: scented candles, diffusers, essential oils, wax melts, lanterns and homewares from the Australian-owned specialty candle chain founded in 1999 with over 130 stores, with Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over $60.50%OFF

Every store in Friday’s Top 5 is Australian-owned or locally fulfilled. Every discount was checked against the store’s current sale page before publication. None of it is Temu, Shein, AliExpress, Wish or any offshore marketplace dressed up as a local brand. Every product ships from an Australian warehouse and is backed by the Australian Consumer Law.

Other Deals Worth A Look

Beyond the Top 5, a handful of other Australian-owned or locally fulfilled retailers are worth a Friday scroll ahead of the Wednesday CPI print and the fuel excise unwind. Nine West (today’s Top 6 ticker pick) has up to 50 per cent off boots, heels, flats, sneakers, sandals and handbags from the Australian franchise of the global womens footwear brand with dedicated Australian fulfilment, with Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over $80. Sportsgirl keeps up to 70 per cent off dresses, denim, tops, blazers and accessories from the Australian-owned Melbourne-founded youth fashion label with over 100 stores, with Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over $60. Cotton On holds 50 per cent off basics, denim, activewear and homewares from the Australian-owned Geelong-founded group of brands, with Afterpay and Australia-wide shipping. Glassons Australia continues 50 per cent off dresses, knits, tailoring and accessories from the trans Tasman fashion brand with dedicated Australian fulfilment, with free shipping over $80. OPSM has up to 50 per cent off frames when purchased with prescription lenses across the Luxottica-owned Australian optical retailer with over 350 stores. Kathmandu is at up to 40 per cent off jackets, thermals, packs, tents and travel accessories from the trans Tasman outdoor specialist, with free shipping over $50. Rebel is at up to 40 per cent off running shoes, gym gear, footy boots and racquets from the Australian-owned Super Retail Group brand, with Rebel Active member deals and click and collect at over 160 stores. All Australian-owned or locally fulfilled, all backed by the Australian Consumer Law.

Week Ahead

Four dates matter for Australian shopper wallets between today and mid-August. Wednesday 29 July at 11:30am AEST: the ABS releases the June quarter Consumer Price Index alongside the June monthly headline CPI, a double release that fixes the inflation reading heading into the RBA decision. Sunday 2 August at 11:59pm: the temporary fuel excise cut fully unwinds with the full excise of 52 point 8 cents per litre resuming from Monday 3 August, adding another 10 to 12 cents a litre through the following week on top of the current mid-crude spike. Tuesday 12 August at 2:30pm AEST: the RBA cash rate decision, now priced at 95 per cent chance of a 25 basis point hike to 4 per cent following yesterday’s labour force print. Wednesday 20 August: Afterpay Day begins, four days of BNPL-led promotions across fashion, sportswear, homewares and electronics from Australian retailers, expected to be the largest single promotional event ahead of the Father’s Day and October designer-fashion runs.

Our Take

Friday 24 July genuinely rewrites the household maths for the rest of 2026. A 25 basis point RBA hike on Tuesday 12 August would add roughly 45 to 55 dollars a month to a 500,000 dollar mortgage and 90 to 110 dollars to a 1 million dollar loan. An extra 20 to 30 cents a litre at the pump through August would add 25 to 40 dollars a week to a two car household. If Origin’s breach fuels the AI-scam wave that cyber experts are warning about, one careless click could cost thousands. Together, these three shocks arriving in the same week could pull 250 to 400 dollars a month out of the average household budget, and that is before the September utility bills land. The right household response is not to spend less overall (most Australian families are already at the limit), but to spend smarter on Australian retailers running genuine live-price discounts rather than offshore marketplaces or theatre promotions.

That is exactly why It’s On Sale exists. We track 35,000 Australian stores and 45,000 live sale products, every retailer Australian-owned or locally fulfilled, every promotion audited daily against the store’s own price history. No trial traps, no hidden fees, no offshore marketplaces dressed up as a local brand. Today’s Sales shows every store currently running a discount in one place. The AI search reads the way real shoppers ask (try “womens winter knitwear under 100” or “hiking jacket half price”). None of it is Temu, Shein, AliExpress, Wish or any offshore marketplace dressed up as a local brand. Browse Today’s Sales on Friday morning ahead of a fortnight that will genuinely reshape the balance between mortgage costs, fuel costs, energy bills and household spending power, and make your money go further with Australian retailers who stand behind the ticket.

It’s On Sale Australia’s home for genuine retail deals. Browse today’s featured stores at itsonsale.com.au.

Neil Fairhead

CEO, It’s On Sale

inConnect

Thursday morning and the fuel spike keeps running: diesel has cracked 2 dollars 20 a litre in Melbourne, Canberra, Darwin and Hobart, and unleaded 91 is above 1 dollar 87 in the ACT and 1 dollar 84 in Perth, with prices up roughly 40 cents a litre in the three weeks since the 1 July excise cut reduction started to unwind and Brent crude climbed from around 70 US dollars to nearly 92. A typical two car household is now paying between 30 and 50 dollars more per fill up than in mid June. Overnight Origin Energy told the ASX it is investigating a data security incident affecting up to 4 point 7 million customers, with names, addresses, emails, dates of birth and bill history in the leaked sample. Coles told the Federal Court yesterday that the ACCC theory of harm behind its Kalgoorlie block is novel and untested. Today’s Top 5 opens with Mossman at up to 70 per cent off.

Diesel Above 2.20 As Fuel Costs Race Higher

Australian pump prices continued their run higher on Wednesday, with diesel now above 2 dollars 20 a litre in four capitals: Melbourne at about 221 cents, Canberra 220 point 2, Darwin 217 point 7 and Hobart 217 point 5, and just below that in Brisbane at 216 point 7 and Sydney at 214 point 9, per figures reported in The Guardian Australia news live blog on Tuesday 22 July 2026. Unleaded 91 has also spiked to 187 point 1 cents in the ACT (its highest reading in two months), followed by Perth at 184 point 9, Darwin at 183 point 2 and Melbourne at 181 point 7. Prices are up roughly 40 cents a litre across three weeks, driven by the reduction of the temporary fuel excise cut on 1 July, worth 16 cents on the pump price, combined with Brent crude climbing from about 70 US dollars a barrel on 2 July to 91 dollars 90 by 22 July.

For a household with two cars filling up weekly, that shift adds between 30 and 50 dollars per fill up compared with the middle of June, and closer to 60 dollars for a diesel dual cab used for work. The rest of the excise cut is scheduled to unwind fully at 11:59pm on Sunday 2 August, adding another 10 to 12 cents a litre from Monday 3 August. Combined with the current mid-crude spike, pump prices for the first fortnight of August could reasonably be modelled at 2 dollars 32 to 2 dollars 35 for diesel in the eastern capitals and roughly 1 dollar 95 to 2 dollars flat for unleaded 91.

Practical shopper read: the household defence against the current fuel run is boring and effective. Use MotorMouth and PetrolSpy to find the current lowest price within a 5 kilometre radius before you leave the driveway. The 7-Eleven Fuel Lock app still holds a price for seven days, valuable if you can see the next city cycle turn up. Costco Fuel is 8 to 12 cents cheaper than the equivalent supermarket-branded servo where you are a member, and worth the detour if you are within roughly 10 kilometres. Ute and van drivers should check whether the local independent diesel fleet card providers (BP Fuelcard, Ampol AmpolCard, Shell Card) run business rates that beat the retail pump, and if you commute the same route weekly, shop the low point of the Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne price cycles which are currently in the recovery phase and running Wednesday to Friday lows.

Origin Energy Investigates Data Breach Of Up To 4.7 Million Customers

Origin Energy, the ASX-listed electricity and gas retailer with 26 point 3 per cent of the residential electricity market as of March, confirmed to the Australian Securities Exchange on Tuesday 22 July that it is investigating a data security incident which may affect up to 4 point 7 million residential and small business customers, per an international wire report by Xinhua on China.org, published 22 July 2026. A sample of 50 customer records released by the threat actor showed full names, residential and postal addresses, email addresses, dates of birth and past billing history. Origin says the sample does not contain credit card or bank account data, and there is no evidence of large-scale payment credential exposure. Origin shares closed down 2 point 6 per cent on Wednesday. Chief executive Frank Calabria said the company is working with the Australian Cyber Security Centre, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner and law enforcement, and will contact affected customers directly.

Practical shopper read: if you are or have been an Origin Energy customer at any point, treat every Origin-branded email, SMS and phone call with suspicion for the next three to six months. Freeze your credit file at both Equifax and Illion (both are free), turn on multi factor authentication for MyGov, your primary email and every banking app, and if you use the same date of birth or address as security questions with any retailer or loyalty program, change them. Never click a login link inside an Origin email, always type origin.com.au directly into the browser. The Australian Consumer Law and the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme give you the right to be told, in writing, whether your specific record was in the exposed set once Origin completes its forensic review.

Coles Says ACCC Theory Of Harm Is Novel

Coles Group returned to the Federal Court of Australia in Melbourne on Wednesday 22 July, arguing that the ACCC decision to block its second Kalgoorlie supermarket and Liquorland outlet rests on a novel theory of harm untested under Australian competition law, per legal industry coverage from Cat Fredenburgh at Lawyerly, 22 July 2026. Coles is running two parallel proceedings: a Federal Court judicial review that tests the legal reasoning behind the ACCC ruling, and a Competition Tribunal merits review that reconsiders the underlying commercial evidence. Senior counsel for Coles told the court that the ACCC position (that a second Coles in a town of 30,000 would eventually push the existing IGA independent operator out of the market) has no direct precedent in Australian merger law and asks the court to give the ACCC unprecedented latitude in blocking greenfield store development.

The Kalgoorlie site at Lots 95 to 106 Great Eastern Highway in Somerville is the first supermarket application the ACCC has outright rejected under the new merger regime that took effect on 1 January 2026, which requires supermarkets to notify the ACCC of any land acquisition over the notification thresholds. The outcome of these parallel proceedings will decide whether the ACCC can keep using its new powers to stop the two largest supermarket chains from adding stores in regional towns where independents still hold ground, or whether the Tribunal and Federal Court will collapse that authority back toward the pre-2026 baseline.

Practical shopper read: no grocery price in Kalgoorlie, Perth, or anywhere else moved because of yesterday’s hearing. The existing Coles, Woolworths and IGA stores continue to trade as normal. But the direction of the ruling matters for every regional Australian town: the wider the mix of operators, the sharper the promotional pricing, and a decision that limits ACCC power would open the door to more single-chain regional dominance over the next 24 months.

Thursday’s Top 5 Deals

1Today’s Top
DiscountMossmanWomen's WearUp to 70 per cent off Mossman: dresses, blouses, tailored trousers, knits, coats and separates from the Australian-owned Melbourne-designed womenswear label with concept stores nationwide, with Afterpay, Zip and Australia-wide shipping.70%OFF2Hallensteins BrothersMen's WearUp to 50 per cent off Hallensteins Brothers: shirts, chinos, jeans, tees, jackets, knitwear and accessories from the trans Tasman menswear brand with dedicated Australian fulfilment, with Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over $80.50%OFF3Healthy LifeHealth ProductsUp to 50 per cent off Healthy Life: vitamins, supplements, protein powders, natural skincare and pantry essentials from the Australian-owned online health destination with 3,000-plus lines, backed by qualified nutritionists and free shipping over $50.50%OFF4HouseHomewaresUp to 50 per cent off House: cookware, bakeware, knives, small appliances, kitchen tools, glassware and dinnerware from the Australian-owned specialty homewares chain founded in 1988 with over 150 stores nationwide, with Afterpay, Zip and click and collect.50%OFF5MacpacOutdoor & CampingUp to 50 per cent off Macpac: down jackets, thermals, waterproof shells, packs, tents, sleeping bags and hiking accessories from the trans Tasman outdoor specialist with dedicated Australian stores, with Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over $99.50%OFF

Every store in Thursday’s Top 5 is Australian-owned or locally fulfilled. Every discount was checked against the store’s current sale page before publication. None of it is Temu, Shein, AliExpress, Wish or any offshore marketplace dressed up as a local brand. Every product ships from an Australian warehouse and is backed by the Australian Consumer Law.

Other Deals Worth A Look

Beyond the Top 5, a handful of other Australian-owned or locally fulfilled retailers are worth a Thursday scroll ahead of the fuel excise unwind and next Wednesday’s CPI print. Merchant 1948 (today’s Top 6 ticker pick) has up to 50 per cent off leather boots, dress shoes, casual sneakers and womens footwear from the trans Tasman family footwear brand with dedicated Australian stores, with Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over $50. Sportsgirl keeps up to 70 per cent off dresses, denim, tops, blazers and accessories from the Australian-owned Melbourne-founded youth fashion label with over 100 stores, with Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over $60. Cotton On holds 50 per cent off basics, denim, activewear and homewares from the Australian-owned Geelong-founded group of brands, with Afterpay and Australia-wide shipping. Glassons Australia continues 50 per cent off dresses, knits, tailoring and accessories from the trans Tasman fashion brand with dedicated Australian fulfilment, with free shipping over $80. OPSM has up to 50 per cent off frames when purchased with prescription lenses across the Luxottica-owned Australian optical retailer with over 350 stores. Kathmandu is at up to 40 per cent off jackets, thermals, packs, tents and travel accessories from the trans Tasman outdoor specialist, with free shipping over $50. Rebel is at up to 40 per cent off running shoes, gym gear, footy boots and racquets from the Australian-owned Super Retail Group brand, with Rebel Active member deals and click and collect at over 160 stores. All Australian-owned or locally fulfilled, all backed by the Australian Consumer Law.

Week Ahead

Four dates matter for Australian shopper wallets between today and mid-August. Today, Thursday 23 July at 11:30am AEST: the Australian Bureau of Statistics releases the June Labour Force report, with consensus at 4 point 4 per cent unemployment steady. A soft reading strengthens the case for a Reserve Bank hold on 12 August, a strong reading would firm the case for a hike. Wednesday 29 July at 11:30am AEST: ABS releases the June quarter Consumer Price Index alongside the June monthly headline CPI, a double release that fixes the inflation reading for the 12 August RBA meeting. Sunday 2 August at 11:59pm: the temporary fuel excise cut fully unwinds with full excise of 52 point 8 cents per litre resuming from Monday 3 August, average pump prices are expected to rise a further 10 to 12 cents a litre through the following week on top of the current mid-crude spike. Tuesday 12 August at 2:30pm AEST: the RBA cash rate decision. Also today and tomorrow, Day 2 and Day 3 of the Online Retailer Conference and Expo at ICC Sydney (with the ORIAS Awards this evening), drawing about 4,000 Australian retail and ecommerce professionals.

Our Take

Thursday 23 July confirms what Monday and Tuesday hinted at: the household budget path through August is unambiguously tighter than the market thought two weeks ago. Diesel above 2 dollars 20 in four capitals is not a spike, it is a plateau, and it will get worse on Monday 3 August when the rest of the excise cut unwinds. A two car diesel-and-petrol household is now spending roughly 40 to 60 dollars more per week on fuel than in mid June, and that is before any RBA decision, any bill shock from Origin Energy customers being forced to change providers, or any grocery-price shift from the Kalgoorlie ruling. The right household response is not to spend less overall (most Australian families are already at the limit), but to spend smarter, on Australian retailers running genuine live-price discounts rather than on offshore marketplaces or theatre promotions.

That is exactly why It’s On Sale exists. We track 35,000 Australian stores and 45,000 live sale products, every retailer Australian-owned or locally fulfilled, every promotion audited daily against the store’s own price history. No trial traps, no hidden fees, no offshore marketplaces dressed up as a local brand. Today’s Sales shows every store currently running a discount in one place. The AI search reads the way real shoppers ask (try “womens winter knitwear under 100” or “hiking jacket half price”). None of it is Temu, Shein, AliExpress, Wish or any offshore marketplace dressed up as a local brand. Browse Today’s Sales on Thursday morning ahead of a fortnight that will genuinely reshape the balance between fuel costs, energy bills and household spending power, and make your money go further with Australian retailers who stand behind the ticket.

It’s On Sale Australia’s home for genuine retail deals. Browse today’s featured stores at itsonsale.com.au.

Neil Fairhead

CEO, It’s On Sale

inConnect

Wednesday morning and the household cash squeeze got a fresh twist overnight: financial markets have doubled the odds of a Reserve Bank rate hike on 12 August to about 30 per cent, up from 16 per cent two weeks ago, with an 80 per cent chance of a hike by November, as the collapse of the US and Iran ceasefire pushed Brent crude up 23 per cent and sent diesel to about 2 dollars 10 a litre. Coles was in Melbourne Federal Court yesterday demanding the ACCC hand over its evidence on the theory of harm behind its Kalgoorlie block, with parallel Competition Tribunal proceedings, fighting the first live test of the new merger regime on two fronts at once. Fresh JLL data shows retail vacancy at 4 point 4 per cent, the lowest since 2018, even as 160 stores prepare to close. Wednesday’s Top 5 opens with Decjuba at up to 70 per cent off.

RBA Rate Hike Odds Double As US Iran War Spikes Fuel Prices

Financial markets have doubled the probability of a Reserve Bank rate hike at its 12 August meeting to about 30 per cent, up from 16 per cent two weeks ago, with an 80 per cent chance of a hike by November, up from 40 per cent, according to fresh ANZ analysis reported by Peter Hannam in The Guardian on Wednesday 22 July 2026. The trigger is the collapse of the US and Iran ceasefire, which sent Brent crude up 23 per cent in two weeks to near 90 US dollars a barrel. Diesel is up about 40 cents in July to roughly 2 dollars 10 a litre in eastern cities, and unleaded is at about 1 dollar 75 a litre, up 25 cents, with part of the increase driven by the partial unwind of the fuel excise cut from 1 July.

Underlying trimmed mean inflation remains at 3.6 per cent, still above the Reserve Bank’s 2 to 3 per cent target band. AMP deputy chief economist Diana Mousina told markets this week that Australia now faces a two-year path back to the target band if oil prices stay elevated. A fourth rate hike this year, following the three 25 basis point moves earlier in 2026 that took the cash rate to 4 point 35 per cent, would add roughly 90 dollars a month to repayments on a typical 600,000 dollar home loan. The Westpac IQ Cliff Notes for 17 July also flagged that domestic retail turnover rose just 0 point 5 per cent in June after 0 point 8 per cent in May, confirming discretionary demand is soft even before any further tightening (Westpac IQ Cliff Notes, 17 July 2026).

Practical shopper read: the fuel squeeze is the immediate pain and it hits the weekly budget before any RBA decision, roughly 20 to 30 dollars a fortnight extra on a family car and 60 dollars extra on a diesel ute or van. The mortgage risk on 12 August is still more likely a hold than a hike, but the direction of travel matters, and 80 per cent odds by November means households should model the next repayment cycle assuming another 0 point 25 percentage point rise. That in turn widens the deal value gap: at every store, the difference between full price and the current sale price now buys more real relief than it did in April. The households that come out ahead through August and September will be the ones tracking live prices, using the ACCC MyGrocery pilot for supermarkets and independent live-price tools like Today’s Sales for everything else, rather than waiting for the next scheduled monthly sale event.

Coles Demands ACCC Evidence In Kalgoorlie Court Battle

Coles Group was in the Federal Court of Australia in Melbourne yesterday, Tuesday 21 July, at a directions hearing in its appeal against the ACCC decision to block a second Coles supermarket and Liquorland outlet in Kalgoorlie, with parallel proceedings underway at the Australian Competition Tribunal (PerthNow via AAP, 21 July 2026). Coles is now challenging the ACCC decision on two fronts at once, a Federal Court judicial review that tests the legal reasoning of the decision itself, and a Competition Tribunal merits review that reconsiders the underlying commercial evidence (Cat Fredenburgh, Lawyerly, 20 July 2026). Tim Rogan, senior counsel for Coles, told the court the ACCC decision rested on what he called a theory of harm, essentially the regulator’s belief that a second Coles would eventually push out the existing independent IGA competitor in the town of 30,000, and demanded that the ACCC hand over the underlying evidence supporting that theory.

The Kalgoorlie site at Lots 95 to 106 Great Eastern Highway in the Somerville area is the first supermarket application the ACCC has outright refused under the new merger regime that took effect on 1 January 2026, which requires supermarkets to notify the ACCC of any acquisition of a commercial site over 1,000 square metres or a vacant land site over 2,000 square metres. Legal industry publication JD Supra, citing DLA Piper analysis published Monday 21 July, described the case as the first greenfield rejection under the new powers and warned that its outcome will shape how confident supermarket groups can be in pipelining new store sites over the next 24 months (DLA Piper Inside Competition brief via JD Supra, 21 July 2026). ACCC lawyers and lawyers for the Independent Grocers of Australia both attended yesterday’s hearing.

Practical shopper read: yesterday’s directions hearing set the tempo for the full merits review, which will run for several months across both jurisdictions. It did not shift a single grocery price in Kalgoorlie or anywhere else. But the outcome will decide whether the ACCC can keep using its new powers to stop the two biggest supermarket chains adding shelves in country towns where independents still hold ground, or whether the Tribunal and Federal Court will collapse that authority back to something closer to the pre-2026 regime. For grocery shoppers today, the existing Kalgoorlie Coles, Woolworths and IGA stores continue as normal, and the same competitive reality applies across every regional Australian town: the wider the operator mix, the sharper the promotional pricing.

Shopping Centre Vacancy Lowest Since 2018 Despite Store Closure Wave

Retail vacancy across Australian shopping centres has dropped to 4 point 4 per cent, the lowest reading since 2018, according to fresh half-year data from JLL Research published by CommBank Newsroom on Tuesday 15 July (CommBank Newsroom citing JLL Research, 15 July 2026). Large-format retail centres are tightest at 2 point 8 per cent vacancy with rents up 5 point 8 per cent year on year, regional shopping centres sit at 2 per cent vacancy, and CBD centres, while still the highest, are steadily improving. 7News Sunrise, in a segment aired Sunday 20 July, reported that landlords are backfilling closed stores with experiential tenants such as beauty consultation counters, boutique hospitality operators and family amusement, rather than traditional apparel or hard goods retailers (7News Sunrise segment, 20 July 2026).

The paradox is that the low vacancy sits alongside a wave of retailer collapses that could see up to 160 stores close through the second half of 2026, concentrated in clothing, footwear and specialty homewares, including the recently reported administrations at Barbeques Galore, Glue Store, Betts, Stax Wholesalers and the Perth-based Rosendorff Diamond Jewellers, per Business News Western Australia’s July retail wrap. Wesfarmers, the ASX-listed owner of Kmart, Target, Bunnings and Officeworks, is up around 30 per cent from its May low of 71 dollars 26 as investors bet on scale-players benefiting from the consolidation, while Coles Group last week walked away from long-running talks to acquire the Greencross and Petbarn pet-care business. Boffins Books in Perth confirmed it will close after 37 years, and RM Williams announced plans to expand its flagship footprint in western Europe and Japan with a new London store.

Practical shopper read: the centres closest to home are getting fuller, not emptier, but the mix of what fills them is changing quickly. Expect fewer generic apparel chains and more one-of-a-kind Australian brands, more consultation and experience counters, and more hospitality frontage on the main mall run. The stores that survive the current shake-out will be the ones that combine scale (Wesfarmers’ Kmart and Bunnings, Coles, Woolworths, Myer, David Jones) with the specialists that own a genuine niche (RM Williams boots, Robert Gordon pottery, Academy Brand chinos). For a shopper walking a Westfield or Chadstone this weekend, the deals to chase are on the exiting tenants’s runout stock, and on the incoming experiential formats offering opening promotions.

Wednesday’s Top 5 Deals

1Today’s Top
DiscountDecjubaWomen's WearUp to 70 per cent off Decjuba: dresses, denim, knits, coats, jackets and workwear from the Australian-owned Melbourne-founded womenswear label with over 100 stores nationwide, with Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over $80.70%OFF2MyerDepartment StoresUp to 70 per cent off Myer: fashion, beauty, homewares, footwear, kids, electricals and appliances across the Mid Year Toy Sale and winter clearance from the Australian-owned department store, with free shipping for MYER One members over $49.70%OFF3ColetteFashionUp to 69 per cent off Colette by Colette Hayman: handbags, jewellery, hair accessories, purses, travel bags and gifting from the Australian-owned Sydney-founded accessories brand with over 90 stores, with Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over $70.69%OFF4Academy BrandMen's WearUp to 60 per cent off Academy Brand: chinos, shirts, tees, knitwear, jackets and outerwear from the Australian-owned Byron Bay-founded menswear label with 30-plus stores, with Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over $50.60%OFF5Robert GordonHomewaresUp to 60 per cent off Robert Gordon: handmade stoneware plates, bowls, mugs, vases, planters and homewares from the Australian-owned family pottery in Pakenham Victoria, hand-thrown since 1978, with Afterpay and Australia-wide shipping.60%OFF

Every store in Wednesday’s Top 5 is Australian-owned or locally fulfilled. Every discount was checked against the store’s current sale page before publication. None of it is Temu, Shein, AliExpress, Wish or any offshore marketplace dressed up as a local brand. Every product ships from an Australian warehouse and is backed by the Australian Consumer Law.

Other Deals Worth A Look

Beyond the Top 5, a handful of other Australian-owned or locally fulfilled retailers are worth a Wednesday scroll on the third full week before the fuel excise unwind and the CPI print. Australian Leather (today’s Top 6 ticker pick) has up to 50 per cent off genuine Australian-made ugg boots, ugg slippers, sheepskin gloves and lambskin rugs from the Sydney-based family manufacturer that has been hand-crafting sheepskin footwear since 1963, with Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over $200. Mossman keeps its Melbourne-designed womenswear runout at up to 70 per cent off dresses, tops, tailored trousers and jackets, with Afterpay and Australia-wide shipping. Sussan is at 50 per cent off its winter womens knitwear, blouses, dresses, sleepwear and accessories from the Australian-owned brand founded in Melbourne in 1939, with Afterpay, Zip and free click-and-collect at 130 stores. Portmans continues 50 per cent off its Australian-designed office and eveningwear collection, from the Australian-owned Melbourne-founded womenswear brand, with Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over $80. Kathmandu holds at 40 per cent off jackets, thermals, packs, tents, sleeping bags and travel accessories from the Australian and New Zealand-founded outdoor specialist, with free shipping over $50. Rebel is at up to 40 per cent off running shoes, gym gear, football boots, tennis racquets and kids sport from the Australian-owned Super Retail Group brand, with Rebel Active member deals and click-and-collect at over 160 stores. All Australian-owned or locally fulfilled, all backed by the Australian Consumer Law.

Week Ahead

Four dates matter for Australian shopper wallets between today and mid-August. Tomorrow, Thursday 23 July at 11:30am AEST: the Australian Bureau of Statistics releases the June Labour Force report, with the unemployment rate expected to hold steady at 4 point 4 per cent, a soft reading would strengthen the case for the RBA to hold on 12 August. Wednesday 29 July at 11:30am AEST: ABS releases the June quarter Consumer Price Index alongside the very first monthly headline CPI print for June, a double release that will fix the RBA’s inflation reading for the August rate meeting. Sunday 2 August at 11:59pm: the temporary fuel excise cut fully unwinds, with full excise of 52 point 8 cents per litre resuming from Monday 3 August, average pump prices are expected to rise a further 10 to 12 cents per litre through the following week on top of the current mid-crude spike. Tuesday 12 August at 2:30pm AEST: the RBA cash-rate decision, with markets now pricing about a 30 per cent chance of a 0 point 25 percentage point hike, up from 16 per cent two weeks ago, and roughly a 70 per cent chance of a hold. Also running today and tomorrow, the Online Retailer Conference & Expo at ICC Sydney, drawing about 4,000 Australian retail and ecommerce professionals through Wednesday and Thursday.

Our Take

Wednesday 22 July is the moment the household budget arithmetic changed. Two weeks ago, the market was pricing a comfortable RBA hold on 12 August at 84 per cent, and the fuel excise wind-down looked like the biggest wallet risk on the horizon. This morning, that hold probability has fallen to 70 per cent, the November hike odds have doubled to 80 per cent, and pump prices are running roughly 40 cents higher on diesel and 25 cents higher on unleaded before the excise has even fully returned. For a household running a mortgage, a car and a weekly grocery shop, the direction of the next 12 weeks is unambiguously tighter, and the response is not to spend less overall (that is not possible for most households already at the limit), but to spend smarter, on Australian retailers running genuine live-price discounts rather than on offshore marketplaces or theatre promotions.

That is exactly why It’s On Sale exists. We track 35,000 Australian stores and 45,000 live sale products, every retailer Australian-owned or locally fulfilled, every promotion audited daily against the store’s own price history. No trial traps, no hidden fees, no offshore marketplaces dressed up as a local brand. Today’s Sales shows every store currently running a discount in one place. The AI search reads the way real shoppers ask (try “womens winter knitwear under 100” or “genuine ugg boots half price”). None of it is Temu, Shein, AliExpress, Wish or any offshore marketplace dressed up as a local brand. Browse Today’s Sales on Wednesday morning ahead of a fortnight that will genuinely reshape the balance between fuel costs, mortgage repayments and household spending power, and make your money go further with Australian retailers who stand behind the ticket.

It’s On Sale Australia’s home for genuine retail deals. Browse today’s featured stores at itsonsale.com.au.

Neil Fairhead

CEO, It’s On Sale

inConnect

Tuesday morning and the ground rules of the Australian supermarket aisle have quietly changed: since 1 July 2026 it has been illegal for Coles and Woolworths to charge prices that are significantly excessive compared to their own cost of supply plus a reasonable margin, with maximum penalties of $10 million per breach. Today, Coles walks into the Australian Competition Tribunal for the case management hearing on its appeal against the ACCC block on a second Kalgoorlie supermarket, the first live test of the new merger regime effective 1 January 2026. Fresh CommBank and NAB data confirm what most household budgets already knew: EOFY sales failed to move the needle in June, with recreation spending decelerating from 2.3 per cent growth in May to 0.2 per cent. Tuesday’s Top 5 opens with Princess Polly at up to 80 per cent off.

Grocery Discounts Now Have To Be Economically Justified

Under the new excessive pricing provisions of the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct, which took effect on 1 July 2026, it is now illegal for a very large supermarket (defined as one with annual revenue above $30 billion, which currently means only Coles and Woolworths) to charge prices that are significantly excessive when compared to the cost of supplying the product plus a reasonable margin (Australian Associated Press coverage via news.com.au, 20 July 2026). The rules were legislated in response to two years of consumer outrage over grocery prices, the ACCC 2024-2025 supermarket inquiry, and repeated Senate hearings during 2025 where both major chains defended their margins under sustained questioning.

Cost of supply, as defined in the new provisions, can include what the supermarket pays to buy or produce the item, transport and logistics, staff wages, store rent, research and development, and investment in equipment or technology. The reasonable margin is not fixed at a single percentage, it depends on what is reasonable in the circumstances of the individual product, and it will be tested case by case if a breach is alleged. Maximum penalties sit at $10 million per breach, or three times the benefit obtained, or 10 per cent of annual turnover in Australia, whichever is greatest. Only the ACCC can bring a proceeding under the code; consumers cannot sue directly, which is a point the government has flagged to review after the first twelve months.

Practical shopper read: at Coles and Woolworths, expect the era of the mystery 50 per cent off ticket on a $2 tin of tomatoes to be quietly retired. Discounts will still exist, they will still be aggressive on genuinely overstocked or short-dated stock, but the eye-watering percentage claims that were partly a product of an inflated pre-discount ticket price are now legally risky. If you have watched a product cycle between $6 full price, $3 half price, $6 full price for eighteen months, that pattern is exactly what the new rules were written to end. It also means that outside the Big Two, the smaller Australian-owned grocers, IGA operators, ALDI (below the $30 billion threshold), and specialist food retailers now have a cleaner playing field on which to compete on genuine value. Shoppers who track live prices with tools like the ACCC MyGrocery pilot, the state government Food Prices Reporter apps and independent trackers like Today’s Sales are best positioned to spot which chains are pricing sharpest on the items they actually buy each week.

Coles Kalgoorlie Appeal Hits The Tribunal Today

The Australian Competition Tribunal holds the first case management hearing today, Tuesday 21 July 2026, in Coles Group’s appeal against the ACCC decision to block its proposed second Coles supermarket and Liquorland outlet in Kalgoorlie (Sean Cao, Inside FMCG, 17 July 2026). The 2,800 square metre site at Lots 95-106 Great Eastern Highway in the Somerville area of Kalgoorlie is the first supermarket application the ACCC has outright refused under the new merger regime that took effect on 1 January 2026, which requires supermarkets to notify the ACCC of any acquisition of a commercial site over 1,000 square metres or a vacant land site over 2,000 square metres. In blocking the deal, the ACCC found the second Coles would substantially lessen competition in the Kalgoorlie market, currently served by an existing Coles, a Woolworths, an IGA and independent operators.

Cat Fredenburgh, filing for legal industry publication Lawyerly on Thursday 16 July, reported Coles argued in its Tribunal application that the ACCC finding “was not objectively correct” and that the acquisition would not substantially lessen competition in the local market (Cat Fredenburgh, Lawyerly, 16 July 2026). A Coles spokesperson told the Australian Financial Review that the company “respectfully disagrees with the ACCC’s assessment” and warned the decision “may have broader implications for future supermarket developments under the new merger regime” (AFR, 16 July 2026). Bird & Bird analysts note the appeal is effectively a stress test of how the Tribunal will interpret the ACCC’s new merger powers in geographically remote markets where the incumbents already hold most of the shelf space (Bird & Bird analysis, July 2026).

Practical shopper read: today’s directions hearing will not shift a single price at any checkout in Australia, it will set the timetable, evidence framework and hearing dates for the full merits review, which is expected to run for several months. Combined with the new excessive pricing rules that started 1 July, the Tribunal outcome will define both the price ceiling (through code enforcement) and the store rollout ceiling (through merger review) for every supermarket group in Australia. For Kalgoorlie shoppers today, the existing Coles, Woolworths and IGA options continue as normal, catalogues out Wednesday, weekly specials refreshed midnight Tuesday.

EOFY Sales Failed To Move The Needle In June

The CommBank Household Spending Insights index for June 2026, released on Wednesday 16 July, showed household spending rose just 0.3 per cent for the month, one of the softest reads since the pandemic-era stimulus wound down (CommBank Newsroom, 16 July 2026). Retail spending eased to 0.2 per cent in June from 0.6 per cent in May despite the End of Financial Year sale cycle, and recreation spending decelerated sharply from 2.3 per cent growth in May to just 0.2 per cent in June. Utilities (up 1.4 per cent) and Education (up 1.1 per cent) led the categories that did grow, both driven by seasonal timing rather than genuine discretionary spend. The NAB Consumer Spend Trend for June, released on Tuesday 15 July, showed total spending up 1.2 per cent for the month and 6.8 per cent for the year, but the growth was concentrated in discretionary rather than non-discretionary categories, indicating households are still willing to buy the coffee and the concert ticket but stretching hard on the grocery basket (NAB Business Research, 14 July 2026).

Cameron Micallef at The Nightly, filing his story on Thursday 16 July, put the pattern more directly: EOFY sales did not spark the usual spending spree, with retail data pointing to weakness across furniture, electronics and household goods despite widespread advertised discounting (Cameron Micallef, The Nightly, 16 July 2026). Age cohort data shows the split clearly: spending growth was strongest among those aged 65 and over (up 10.1 per cent year-on-year), while 18 to 24 year olds slowed hardest, from 9.9 per cent annual growth in 2025 to just 5.4 per cent in the twelve months to June 2026. Regional Queensland and regional Western Australia were the strongest performers by geography over the year, while metro NSW, the ACT and metro Victoria were the weakest.

Practical shopper read: the data confirms what most under-35 households already know from lived experience: EOFY sales were not the discount reset they used to be. That does not mean genuine deals do not exist right now, it means the average headline discount is doing less real work than it did in 2024, and shoppers who compare live prices against 90-day price histories will do best. For the second half of the year, the Australian Retailers Association is already forecasting a slower ramp into Father’s Day (7 September), the October retail cycle, and Black Friday than the same period in 2025, unless the RBA cuts rates on 12 August (which the market is currently pricing at roughly 40 per cent probability).

Tuesday’s Top 5 Deals

1Today’s Top
DiscountPrincess PollyWomen's WearUp to 80 per cent off Princess Polly: dresses, denim, knitwear, coats, going-out and workwear from the Gold Coast-founded Australian-owned online womenswear label, with Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over $50.80%OFF2Baku SwimwearBeachwearUp to 70 per cent off Baku Swimwear: one-pieces, bikinis, rashies, cover-ups, resort wear and swim accessories from the Australian-owned Melbourne-based swimwear specialist, with Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over $80.70%OFF3GrahamsHomewaresUp to 60 per cent off Grahams: sofas, dining, bedroom, home office and outdoor furniture from the Australian-owned Sydney furniture retailer, with Afterpay, ZipMoney, free assembly service and click-and-collect at three showrooms.60%OFF4Original Mattress FactoryBedding & MattressesUp to 60 per cent off Original Mattress Factory: mattresses, bed bases, pillows, mattress toppers and bedroom accessories from the Australian-owned family manufacturer with 30-plus stores nationwide, with Afterpay, Zip, free delivery and a 90-night trial.60%OFF5GazmanMen's WearUp to 50 per cent off Gazman: business shirts, chinos, knitwear, jackets, sports and outerwear from the Australian-owned Melbourne-founded menswear brand with 30-plus stores, with Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over $80.50%OFF

Every store in Tuesday’s Top 5 is Australian-owned or locally fulfilled. Every discount was checked against the store’s current sale page before publication. None of it is Temu, Shein, AliExpress, Wish or any offshore marketplace dressed up as a local brand. Every product ships from an Australian warehouse and is backed by the Australian Consumer Law.

Other Deals Worth A Look

Beyond the Top 5, a handful of other Australian-owned or locally fulfilled retailers are worth a Tuesday scroll on the second full week before the excise unwind and the CPI print. General Pants (today’s Top 6 ticker pick) has up to 50 per cent off jeans, denim, sneakers, streetwear and outerwear from the Australian-owned youth fashion retailer with over 60 stores nationwide, with Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over $50. Koala keeps clearance pricing on mattresses, sofas, bunk beds and bedding from the Australian-owned certified B Corp with 120-night trials and free delivery. David Jones continues the winter mid-year runout across menswear, womenswear, homewares and beauty from the Melbourne and Sydney flagship department store, with free shipping over $100. Temple & Webster has running winter prices on lounge, dining, outdoor and rugs from the Australian-listed online furniture specialist, with free returns on most items and click-to-order Australia-wide. JB Hi-Fi continues its This Week’s Hottest Deals across TVs, laptops, headphones and kitchen appliances from the Australian-listed electronics retailer, with in-store price beat and click-and-collect at over 200 locations. Chemist Warehouse is running the weekly half-price specials on vitamins, supplements, skincare and personal care from the Australian-owned discount pharmacy. All Australian-owned or locally fulfilled, all backed by the Australian Consumer Law.

Week Ahead

Four dates matter for Australian shopper wallets between today and mid-August. Today, Tuesday 21 July: Coles Kalgoorlie appeal, first case management hearing in the Australian Competition Tribunal, no immediate pricing impact but sets the tempo for the first full ACCC merger test of 2026 alongside the new excessive pricing rules that started 1 July. Wednesday 29 July at 11:30am AEST: the Australian Bureau of Statistics releases the June quarter Consumer Price Index alongside the very first monthly headline CPI print for June, a double release that will fix the RBA’s inflation reading for the August rate meeting. Sunday 2 August at 11:59pm: the temporary fuel excise cut fully unwinds, with full excise of 52.8 cents per litre resuming from Monday 3 August (average pump prices are expected to rise roughly 10 to 12 cents per litre through the following week). Tuesday 12 August: the RBA cash-rate decision at 2:30pm AEST, with the market currently split roughly 60/40 on a hold versus a 0.25 percentage point cut.

Our Take

Tuesday 21 July marks the first day of a genuinely new pricing regime in Australian supermarkets: for the first time, an economic justification test now sits behind every promotional ticket at Coles and Woolworths, and today the same two brands face their first live merger appeal under rules that took effect just seven months ago. The 1 July excessive pricing rules and the 1 January merger regime, taken together, are the most significant remaking of Australian supermarket regulation in a generation. And the June CommBank and NAB spending data confirm the demand-side truth that made the regulation politically inevitable: shoppers, especially households under 35, have essentially run out of room to absorb further real price rises, and headline EOFY discounts are no longer doing their historical job of clearing overhang stock and pulling in new spending. The retailers who thrive over the next twelve months will be the ones who read that number honestly, discount deeply and transparently on live inventory, and treat their pricing pages as a legally defensible economic document, not a marketing sandbox.

That is exactly why It’s On Sale exists. We track 35,000 Australian stores and 45,000 live sale products, every retailer Australian-owned or locally fulfilled, every promotion audited daily against the store’s own price history. No trial traps, no hidden fees, no offshore marketplaces dressed up as a local brand. Today’s Sales shows every store currently running a discount in one place. The AI search reads the way real shoppers ask (try “womens winter knitwear under 100” or “kids school shoes half price”). None of it is Temu, Shein, AliExpress, Wish or any offshore marketplace dressed up as a local brand. Browse Today’s Sales on Tuesday morning ahead of a week that will genuinely reshape the balance of power between shoppers, workers, and the Big Two, and make your money go further with Australian retailers who stand behind the ticket.

It’s On Sale Australia’s home for genuine retail deals. Browse today’s featured stores at itsonsale.com.au.

Neil Fairhead

CEO, It’s On Sale

inConnect

Monday morning and one of the largest Australian retail-worker settlements on record has been reached: Aldi has agreed to pay approximately $55 million to about 32,000 current and former store and warehouse employees to settle a Federal Court class action over unpaid pre-shift and post-shift work, subject to court approval. On Tuesday tomorrow, Coles walks into the Australian Competition Tribunal for a case management hearing on its appeal against the ACCC block on a second Kalgoorlie supermarket, the first live test of the new supermarket merger regime effective 1 January 2026. Congo Brands has begun winding up the Australian arm of influencer sensation Prime Hydration. And RACQ is warning that the Brisbane fuel cycle is quietly returning, right before the full fuel excise resumes on Monday 3 August. Monday’s Top 5 opens with Showpo at up to 80 per cent off.

Aldi To Pay $55 Million To 32,000 Workers In Class-Action Settlement

The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) announced on Wednesday 16 July 2026 that a proposed settlement had been reached with Aldi Stores (A Limited Partnership) in the Federal Court class action alleging widespread underpayment for work performed before rostered shifts began, and for store staff, after rostered shifts finished (SDA media release, 16 July 2026). The settlement covers approximately 32,000 current and former Aldi store employees, store managers, assistant store managers, and warehouse employees across Australia, and is one of the largest retail-worker underpayment settlements in Australian history. Aldi has already paid approximately $28.9 million of the total, with a further $26.3 million payable plus interest, and a separate $1.5 million contribution towards SDA legal and project costs. Critically for workers, no legal costs or litigation-funding commission will be deducted from settlement payments, meaning workers keep the full amount owed.

Cindy Cameronne at Lawyerly, filing the story at 3:11pm Sydney time on 16 July, reported the case had been running since 2022 with detailed allegations that Aldi store and warehouse rostering systems required staff to arrive early to prepare tills, unpack pallets or set up the sales floor, and (for store staff) stay late to complete cash-up and close-down tasks, all without paid recognition (Cindy Cameronne, Lawyerly, 16 July 2026). The Australian Financial Review confirmed the settlement value in a Wednesday 15 July report noting Aldi had also paid the SDA $1.5 million towards costs (AFR, 15 July 2026). Federal Court final approval is still required, and formal registration for eligible former employees will only open after that approval. For the more than 30,000 current Aldi workers already in the store or warehouse system, no immediate action is required, back-payments will flow through the settlement mechanism once approved.

Consumer-side read: Aldi has built its Australian market position on private-label pricing that runs roughly 15 to 25 per cent below equivalent Coles and Woolworths shelf tags, and part of that gap has always come from tight labour scheduling. A $55 million bill (about $1,700 per worker averaged out, though individual payments will vary sharply by tenure and hours) is a live reminder that low-price retail is not free, and that shoppers who value the Aldi trolley economics are also indirectly buying into a labour model that has now been formally litigated. Nothing changes at the checkout on Monday, Special Buys still land Wednesday and Saturday, the Sunday roast cut is still under $10 a kilogram, and the private-label chocolate is still half the Cadbury RRP. What has changed is that the ledger just got settled, publicly, and every large retailer in Australia will be reading the fine print of this settlement over the next fortnight.

Coles Kalgoorlie ACCC Appeal Hits The Tribunal Tomorrow

Coles will front the Australian Competition Tribunal on Tuesday 21 July 2026 for the case management hearing in its appeal against the ACCC decision to block a proposed second Coles supermarket and Liquorland outlet in the Western Australian gold-mining city of Kalgoorlie (Sean Cao, Inside FMCG, 17 July 2026). The 2,800 square metre site at Lots 95-106 Great Eastern Highway in Somerville, Kalgoorlie, is the first supermarket application the ACCC has outright refused under the new merger regime that took effect on 1 January 2026, which requires supermarkets to notify the ACCC of any acquisition of a commercial site over 1,000 square metres or a vacant land site over 2,000 square metres. In blocking the deal, the ACCC said the second Coles would substantially lessen competition in the local Kalgoorlie market, currently served by an existing Coles, a Woolworths, an IGA, and independent operators.

A Coles spokesperson said the retailer “respectfully disagrees with the ACCC’s assessment and remains of the view that the proposed development would not substantially lessen competition in Kalgoorlie”, and warned that the decision “may have broader implications for future supermarket developments under the new merger regime” (AFR, 16 July 2026). Bird & Bird analysts noted that the appeal is effectively a stress test of how the tribunal will interpret “substantially lessen competition” in geographically remote markets where the incumbents already hold most of the shelf space (Bird & Bird analysis, July 2026). Tuesday’s directions hearing will not resolve the substantive appeal, it will set the timetable, evidence framework and hearing dates for the full merits review, which is expected to run for several months.

Practical shopper read: tomorrow’s hearing will not shift a single price at any checkout in Australia, but the framework the tribunal lays down over the next three months will define how aggressively the ACCC can use its new merger powers to shape supermarket rollouts nationwide. If Coles wins, the ACCC will be far more cautious about outright blocks and shift towards behavioural undertakings; if Coles loses, expect much slower supermarket approvals across regional Australia and a more assertive ACCC on every large-format grocery, hardware and department-store proposal from Karratha to Cairns. For Kalgoorlie shoppers today, the existing Coles, Woolworths and IGA options continue as normal, catalogues out Wednesday, weekly specials refreshed midnight Tuesday.

Prime Hydration Collapses And RACQ Warns Brisbane Fuel Cycle Is Back

Congo Brands, the American owner of Prime Hydration, moved on 7 July 2026 to wind up the Australian arm of the influencer-driven sports-drink phenomenon, with administrator Alice Ruhe of BRI Ferrier reporting the Melbourne-based business had lost $1.42 million in 2024 and owed approximately $7.92 million to suppliers at the point of collapse (Harry Booth, Inside FMCG, 13 July 2026). The first meeting of creditors was held on Friday 17 July. Prime was famously co-founded by Logan Paul and KSI, launched globally in 2022 and hit peak resale prices of US$1,500 for a single 500ml bottle during the UK supermarket frenzy of 2023, before Australian supermarket distribution normalised prices back to $4 a bottle by late 2024. Shoppers with unopened Prime bottles in the pantry face no immediate risk (product is safe, best-before dates remain valid), but retailers holding stock now become the loss-bearers rather than Congo Brands Australia.

Meanwhile RACQ economic and affordability expert Ian Jeffreys warned on Monday 14 July that the Brisbane fuel cycle is quietly returning, with average unleaded at 172.1 cents per litre and roughly 10 per cent of Brisbane service stations already near $2 per litre at the top of the cycle (ABC News, 14 July 2026). Jeffreys said: “We believe this indicates that fuel companies are beginning to reestablish a price cycle.” The timing matters, the temporary fuel excise cut was halved on 1 July, and the remaining half unwinds fully on Monday 3 August 2026, adding roughly 32 cents per litre back to pump prices. Combined household planning move for the week: fill the tank at a bottom-of-cycle station this coming weekend (Sunday 26 July is historically the deepest trough), and use apps such as PetrolSpy, MotorMouth or 7-Eleven Fuel Lock to pin the sub-170 price before the 3 August reset.

The Week Ahead: What Australian Shoppers Should Track

Four dates matter for Australian shopper wallets between now and mid-August. Tuesday 21 July: Coles Kalgoorlie appeal, first case management hearing in the Australian Competition Tribunal, no immediate pricing impact but sets the tempo for the first full ACCC merger test of 2026. Wednesday 29 July at 11:30am AEST: the Australian Bureau of Statistics releases the June quarter Consumer Price Index alongside the very first monthly headline CPI print for June, a double release that will fix the RBA’s inflation reading for the August rate meeting. Sunday 2 August at 11:59pm: the temporary fuel excise cut fully unwinds, with full excise of 52.8 cents per litre resuming from Monday 3 August (average pump prices are expected to rise roughly 10 to 12 cents per litre through the following week). Tuesday 12 August: the RBA cash-rate decision at 2:30pm AEST, with the market currently split roughly 60/40 on a hold versus a 0.25 percentage point cut.

Household planning moves this week: fill the tank on Saturday 1 August before the full excise resumes, front-load any planned discretionary purchase (winter jacket, mattress, small appliance) before the 12 August rate meeting because a rate hold plus a hot CPI print would push retailer discounting deeper into September, and check the David Jones and Myer mid-year sale windows which close around the first weekend of August. The Westpac-Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment index lifted 4.1 per cent to 83.9 in July, its best reading in three months, but still sits inside the bottom 10 per cent of the 50-year survey history (Morningstar, 14 July 2026). For anyone considering a mortgage refinance, the two-week window between the 29 July CPI print and the 12 August RBA meeting is historically the flattest quote window of the calendar, meaning quotes locked this week are unlikely to be improved on before mid-August.

Five Fresh Australian Stores, Audited At Dawn

Five stores. Five categories. All fresh names today, none carried over from the last three days, all headline discounts verified from the live sale pages this morning.

1Today’s Top
DiscountShowpoWomen's WearUp to 80 per cent off Showpo: dresses, denim, knitwear, coats, going-out and workwear from the Sydney-founded Australian-owned online womenswear label, with Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over $75.80%OFF2Kick Push SkateSkate & ScootersUp to 79 per cent off Kick Push Skate: complete skateboards, decks, wheels, trucks, scooters, protective gear and skate shoes from the Sunshine Coast-based Australian-owned skate retailer, with Afterpay and free shipping over $99.79%OFF3Eckersley'sArt & CraftUp to 70 per cent off Eckersley’s Art & Craft: acrylics, oils, watercolours, canvases, brushes, easels and kids craft supplies from the Melbourne-founded 100 per cent Australian-owned art retailer, with click-and-collect at over 20 stores nationwide.70%OFF4DuskCandles & HomewaresUp to 60 per cent off Dusk: scented candles, diffusers, wax melts, essential oils, gift sets and homewares from the Australian-listed lifestyle chain, with Afterpay, Zip, free shipping over $65 and click-and-collect at over 130 stores.60%OFF5Lounge LoversFurnitureUp to 40 per cent off Lounge Lovers: sofas, armchairs, dining tables, bedroom furniture, rugs and outdoor pieces from the Sydney-founded Australian-owned furniture retailer, with Afterpay, ZipMoney and free metro delivery on orders over $2,000.40%OFF

% discounts shown are indicative across each store’s sale range. Individual product savings vary.

Other Deals Worth A Look

Beyond the Top 5, a handful of other Australian-owned or locally fulfilled retailers are worth a Monday scroll on the last full week before the excise unwind and the CPI print. UGG (today’s Top 6 ticker pick) has up to 30 per cent off ugg boots, slippers, moccasins and sheepskin accessories from the original Australian-owned UGG family business, made in Australia from Australian sheepskin, with Afterpay, Zip and free Australian shipping over $99. Koala keeps clearance pricing on mattresses, sofas, bunk beds and bedding from the Australian-owned certified B Corp with 120-night trials and free delivery. David Jones continues the winter mid-year runout across menswear, womenswear, homewares and beauty from the Melbourne and Sydney flagship department store, with free shipping over $100. Temple & Webster has running winter prices on lounge, dining, outdoor and rugs from the Australian-listed online furniture specialist, with free returns on most items and click-to-order Australia-wide. JB Hi-Fi continues its This Week’s Hottest Deals across TVs, laptops, headphones and kitchen appliances from the Australian-listed electronics retailer, with in-store price beat and click-and-collect at over 200 locations. Chemist Warehouse is running the weekly half-price specials on vitamins, supplements, skincare and personal care from the Australian-owned discount pharmacy. All Australian-owned or locally fulfilled, all backed by the Australian Consumer Law.

Our Take

Monday 20 July marks a moment that will show up in Australian retail textbooks: the biggest single retail-worker underpayment settlement in the country’s history has been reached without a Coles or Woolworths logo on it, and the biggest live test of the new supermarket merger regime hits the Tribunal tomorrow. Both stories say the same thing from different angles, the era in which Australian retailers could quietly manage costs on the labour ledger or push through store rollouts on incumbent scale alone is over. Aldi has cleared the historical record on its rostering, and Coles is now the first supermarket to argue its footprint case in front of a Tribunal under the 1 January 2026 rules. The CommBank data from last week already told us that under-35 households have essentially run out of room to absorb further price rises, and the retailers who thrive over the next twelve months will be the ones who read that number honestly, discount deeply and transparently on live inventory, and treat their staff and their shoppers as the two sides of the same ledger.

That is exactly why It’s On Sale exists. We track 35,000 Australian stores and 45,000 live sale products, every retailer Australian-owned or locally fulfilled, every promotion audited daily against the store’s own price history. No trial traps, no hidden fees, no offshore marketplaces dressed up as a local brand. Today’s Sales shows every store currently running a discount in one place. The AI search reads the way real shoppers ask (try “womens winter knitwear under 100” or “kids school shoes half price”). None of it is Temu, Shein, AliExpress, Wish or any offshore marketplace dressed up as a local brand. Browse Today’s Sales on Monday morning ahead of a week that will genuinely reshape the balance of power between shoppers, workers, and the Big Two, and make your money go further with Australian retailers who stand behind the ticket.

It’s On Sale Australia’s home for genuine retail deals. Browse today’s featured stores at itsonsale.com.au.

Neil Fairhead

CEO, It’s On Sale

inConnect

Sunday morning and the biggest shift in Australian retail this year is quietly clicking into place. From 1 July, the ACCC has new powers under the Competition and Consumer Act to police Coles and Woolworths for what the regulator calls significantly excessive grocery pricing, the first time in Australian retail history the pricing referee is on the field for the Big Two. This week the rulebook meets its first real-world test: Coles heads to the Australian Competition Tribunal on Monday 21 July to appeal the ACCC block on a second Kalgoorlie supermarket, a case with broader implications for every future supermarket development. In the household budget, fresh CommBank data confirms a widening age divide, over 65s spent 10.1 per cent more year on year while 18 to 24s cut spending growth almost in half. And Victoria Police is warning that EOFY tax-time scam sites are still live and multiplying, with the Cybercrime Squad already taking down 139 fake retail websites this month. Sunday’s Top 5 opens with Sportsgirl at up to 70 per cent off across the women’s range.

ACCC Puts Coles And Woolworths On The Price Referee Rules

Buried in a low-key update on the ACCC pricing page this week is the biggest structural change to Australian supermarket regulation since the 2020 Food and Grocery Code review: from Wednesday 1 July 2026, brand-new rules under the Competition and Consumer Act give the regulator explicit statutory powers to prevent excessive grocery pricing by supermarkets that earn more than $30 billion a year in Australia (referred to as very large retailers). The rules currently apply only to Coles and Woolworths, and the ACCC states plainly on its own site: “We are monitoring pricing by these supermarkets” (ACCC, Setting prices page, updated 15 July 2026). The legal test is described as significantly excessive when compared to the costs to the supermarket to supply the product plus a reasonable margin, a phrase that will be argued and re-argued in tribunals, before parliamentary inquiries and inside supermarket boardrooms for the rest of the decade.

The rules land in the same week the ACCC and Coles head into their first live courtroom test of the new merger regime. Coles has confirmed it will appeal, in the Australian Competition Tribunal, the ACCC decision to block a proposed second Coles supermarket and Liquorland site in the Western Australian mining town of Kalgoorlie, with a directions hearing listed for Monday 21 July 2026 (Tamika Seeto, Yahoo Finance Australia, 16 July 2026). A Coles spokesperson told Yahoo Finance the retailer “respectfully disagrees with the ACCC’s assessment and remains of the view that the proposed development would not substantially lessen competition in Kalgoorlie”, and warned the determination “may have broader implications for future supermarket developments under the new merger regime”. For shoppers the two levers now bear directly on the trolley: the regulator can question pricing conduct after the fact, and it can block or shape supermarket store rollouts before the fact.

Practical read for the household budget: nothing changes at Monday’s checkout, but the balance of power just shifted. If a supermarket weekly staple looks stubbornly high (think branded margarine, entry-level laundry powder, own-label dairy) shoppers now have a formal channel for scrutiny through the ACCC pricing feedback line, and a benchmark test that did not exist a fortnight ago. The Kalgoorlie hearing on Monday will not itself change any prices this week, but the Tribunal’s directions will set the timetable for a full merits review that could take months and will effectively define what significantly less competition means under the 1 January 2026 merger regime. Meanwhile the deepest weekend basket-check moves for households remain the classics: cross-check the Coles catalogue against Woolworths every Wednesday, use Aldi Special Buys for one-off pantry restocks, and lean on independent IGA plus co-op like Farmer Jack for meat and produce where the private-label pricing is often 15 to 25 per cent below Big Two shelf tags.

CommBank HSI Age Divide: Over 65s Spending 10.1 Per Cent More While Under 25s Cut Back

Fresh CommBank Household Spending Insights data released Thursday 16 July 2026 confirms the tightening cost-of-living squeeze is now landing very unevenly across age cohorts. Australians aged 65 and over recorded the strongest annual spending growth of any age group, up 10.1 per cent in the year to June 2026, while spending growth among 18 to 24 year olds nearly halved over the year from 9.9 per cent in June 2025 to 5.4 per cent in June 2026, the biggest slowdown of any age group (CommBank Newsroom, 16 July 2026). Growth among 25 to 34 year olds was the weakest at just 4.2 per cent, with 35 to 44 and 45 to 54 year olds close behind at 4.5 per cent each. CBA Head of Australian Economics Belinda Allen said “household consumption patterns diverge by age” and added that the mortgage-holding cohorts of 25 to 44 are “more likely to have a mortgage, making them more sensitive to higher interest rates”.

Buried in the detail is a striking exception that speaks directly to the tech-adopter shopper: spending on AI-related software and subscriptions has jumped more than 60 per cent over the past year, the fastest growth of any category CBA tracks. That is Perplexity, ChatGPT, Claude, GitHub Copilot, Midjourney, Notion AI and the growing raft of niche vertical AI tools now settling into monthly household budgets alongside Netflix and Spotify. On the other side of the ledger, service-station spending fell 6.7 per cent in June alone, insurance is up 8.3 per cent for the year, utilities up 10.7 per cent for the year, and electricity and gas costs up roughly 18 per cent. For under 35 shoppers the practical playbook is the substitution ladder: switch to Coles Own Brand and Woolworths Homebrand across staple pantry (typical 20 to 35 per cent unit-price cut), take up the free Everyday Rewards or Flybuys card if you have not already (real weekly value averages $6 to $12 per household), and cross-shop Aldi Special Buys weekly for one-off appliance and homewares purchases where the private-label price gap is widest.

Victoria Police Warns EOFY Scam Sites Are Still Live, 139 Fake Retailers Taken Down

Victoria Police, together with the state Cybercrime Squad, issued a fresh warning on Friday 17 July 2026 that scam sites impersonating well-known Australian retailers are still live and multiplying two weeks after the peak EOFY sales window closed. The squad has already issued takedown requests for 139 fake online store related websites this month, and detectives said scammers are now combining the tax-time myGov push with fake retailer fronts because shoppers are more likely to click through email lures during the July tax-refund window (Star Community News, 17 July 2026). Detectives note that scam sites usually mimic the brand’s logo, layout and product imagery, often include a .com.au domain, and sometimes even display the stolen ABN of the genuine business. They also commonly pay for sponsored ads at the top of search results, or offer the same product at a significantly lower price than the genuine store.

Simple shopper-side defence for the week ahead: never click a link in an email or SMS claiming to be from the ATO, myGov or a retailer, always type the retailer domain directly or use a verified bookmark, and treat any deal that looks too good (a Dyson at 60 per cent off, an iPhone at half price, a designer bag at a fifth of the RRP) as a scam until proven otherwise. Cross-check the retailer via the Australian Business Register at abr.business.gov.au (real businesses show a matching ABN plus registered trading name), and if in doubt, browse the store from the platform where you already trust the listing rather than following an inbound link. Report suspicious retail sites straight to scamwatch.gov.au/report-a-scam, and any suspected ATO or myGov impersonation to [email protected]. If a payment has already gone through, call your bank or card provider immediately (most transactions can be stopped inside two hours). This one costs nothing to get right and is the single highest-return five-minute habit any online shopper can build in 2026.

The Week Ahead: What Australian Shoppers Should Track

Four dates matter for Australian shopper wallets between now and mid-August, and three of them cluster inside the next three weeks. Monday 21 July: Coles Kalgoorlie appeal, first directions hearing in the Australian Competition Tribunal, no immediate pricing impact but sets the pace for the first full ACCC merger test of 2026. Wednesday 29 July at 11:30am AEST: the Australian Bureau of Statistics releases the June quarter Consumer Price Index alongside the very first monthly headline CPI print for June, a double release that will fix the RBA’s inflation reading for the August rate meeting. Sunday 2 August at 11:59pm: the temporary fuel excise cut fully unwinds, with full excise of 52.8 cents per litre resuming from Monday 3 August (average pump prices are expected to rise roughly 10 to 12 cents per litre through the following week). Tuesday 12 August: the RBA cash-rate decision at 2:30pm AEST, with the market currently split roughly 60/40 on a hold versus a 0.25 percentage point cut.

Household planning moves this week: fill the tank on Saturday 1 August before the full excise resumes, front-load any planned discretionary purchase (winter jacket, mattress, small appliance) before the 12 August rate meeting because a rate hold plus a hot CPI print would push retailer discounting deeper into September, and check the David Jones and Myer mid-year sale windows which close around the first weekend of August. For anyone considering a mortgage refinance, the two weeks between the 29 July CPI print and the 12 August RBA meeting is historically the flattest quote window of the calendar as lenders wait for the RBA before repricing, meaning quotes locked this week are unlikely to be improved on before mid-August. For shoppers with an eye on the ACCC pricing regime, the Coles Kalgoorlie hearing tomorrow will not itself move prices but is the first live indicator of how aggressively the ACCC intends to use its new powers, and every retailer, wholesaler and shopper in Australia will be watching the tribunal transcript.

Five Fresh Australian Stores, Audited At Dawn

Five stores. Five categories. All fresh names today, none carried over from the last three days, all headline discounts verified from the live sale pages this morning.

1Today’s Top
DiscountSportsgirlWomen's WearUp to 70 per cent off Sportsgirl: dresses, denim, knitwear, coats and going-out styles from the Melbourne-founded Australian womenswear label owned by Sussan Group, with Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over $100.70%OFF2HouseHomewaresUp to 50 per cent off House: cookware, glassware, storage, homewares and small kitchen appliances from the Global Retail Brands Australian-owned chain, with Afterpay, Zip and click-and-collect at over 160 stores nationwide.50%OFF3MacpacOutdoor & CampingUp to 50 per cent off Macpac: hiking jackets, thermals, packs, sleeping bags and camping gear from the trans-Tasman outdoor brand with strong Australian retail presence and a lifetime repair guarantee on packs.50%OFF4Nine WestFootwearUp to 50 per cent off Nine West: heels, boots, sneakers, flats and handbags from the American women’s footwear label with an Australian-run retail presence, Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over $100.50%OFF5OPSMOpticalUp to 50 per cent off OPSM: prescription glasses, sunglasses, contact lenses and premium brand eyewear from the Australian-founded optical retailer owned by EssilorLuxottica, with Medicare and health-fund claims processed in store.50%OFF

% discounts shown are indicative across each store’s sale range. Individual product savings vary.

Other Deals Worth A Look

Beyond the Top 5, a handful of other Australian-owned or locally fulfilled retailers are worth a Sunday scroll on the last weekend before the excise unwind and the CPI print. Typo (today’s Top 6 ticker pick) has up to 50 per cent off stationery, gifts, homewares, tech accessories and travel goods from the Geelong-founded Cotton On Group brand, with Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over $55. Koala keeps clearance pricing on mattresses, sofas, bunk beds and bedding from the Australian-owned certified B Corp with 120-night trials and free delivery. David Jones continues the winter mid-year runout across menswear, womenswear, homewares and beauty from the Melbourne and Sydney flagship department store, with free shipping over $100. Temple & Webster has running winter prices on lounge, dining, outdoor and rugs from the Australian-listed online furniture specialist, with free returns on most items and click-to-order Australia-wide. JB Hi-Fi continues its This Week’s Hottest Deals across TVs, laptops, headphones and kitchen appliances from the Australian-listed electronics retailer, with in-store price beat and click-and-collect at over 200 locations. Chemist Warehouse is running the weekly half-price specials on vitamins, supplements, skincare and personal care from the Australian-owned discount pharmacy, with Sundays a typically strong replenishment day. All Australian-owned or locally fulfilled, all backed by the Australian Consumer Law.

Our Take

Sunday 19 July marks a genuine structural shift in Australian retail: for the first time, the ACCC can question Coles and Woolworths on any grocery price under a formal statutory test, and the same regulator can block a supermarket rollout before a spade goes in the ground. Together they represent the biggest expansion of consumer-facing supermarket regulation in a generation. That does not mean prices tumble tomorrow. What it does mean is that the two retailers who together control roughly 65 per cent of Australian grocery spend now operate under a real referee, and every future price rise, every future store approval, every future acquisition target has a formal shopper-side test attached to it. The CommBank data alongside this tells the other half of the story: households, particularly younger ones, are running out of room to absorb further price rises, and the retailers who thrive over the next twelve months will be the ones who read that number honestly, discount deeply and transparently on live inventory, and stop treating shoppers as if the 2021 to 2022 cost-of-living squeeze never happened.

That is exactly why It’s On Sale exists. We track 35,000 Australian stores and 45,000 live sale products, every retailer Australian-owned or locally fulfilled, every promotion audited daily against the store’s own price history. No trial traps, no hidden fees, no offshore marketplaces dressed up as a local brand. Today’s Sales shows every store currently running a discount in one place. The AI search reads the way real shoppers ask (try “womens winter knitwear under 100” or “kids school shoes half price”). None of it is Temu, Shein, AliExpress, Wish or any offshore marketplace dressed up as a local brand. Browse Today’s Sales on Sunday morning ahead of a week that will genuinely reshape the balance of power between shoppers and the Big Two, and make your money go further with Australian retailers who stand behind the ticket.

It’s On Sale Australia’s home for genuine retail deals. Browse today’s featured stores at itsonsale.com.au.

Neil Fairhead

CEO, It’s On Sale

inConnect

Saturday morning and the biggest supermarket story in a fortnight is what did not happen. Coles has walked away from its rumoured $4 billion swoop on Greencross, the private-equity-owned parent of Petbarn, City Farmers and Greencross Vets, ending months of investor speculation about the country’s second-largest supermarket muscling into premium pet retail. The market immediately cheered the discipline: Coles shares jumped 4 per cent on Thursday. For pet owners the news is quieter: nothing changes at the Petbarn checkout, Repeat Delivery still ships, and the Vet clinics stay independent. Elsewhere in the week that was, CommBank data confirms EOFY 2026 was a genuine fizzer for retail, the July fuel excise unwind has already lifted inflation expectations to a three-month high, Woolworths brings back Disney OOSHIES with a recycling twist and a BIG W debut, and Saturday’s Top 5 opens with Glassons at up to 75 per cent off across the women’s range.

Coles Walks Away From The $4 Billion Petbarn Deal

Coles Group announced on Thursday 17 July 2026 that it has formally ended discussions with private equity owner TPG Capital over a potential acquisition of Greencross, the parent company behind Petbarn, City Farmers and the Greencross Vets clinic network. The deal, reportedly valued at up to $4 billion, would have been the largest supermarket-adjacent acquisition since Wesfarmers bought API in 2022 and would have inserted Coles directly into a fast-growing $12 billion Australian pet-care category currently split between Petbarn, Woolworths-owned Petstock and thousands of independent retailers (Tim Beveridge, Rask Media, 17 July 2026). The ASX greeted the retreat rather than the deal: Coles shares (ASX:COL) closed 4 per cent higher on Thursday as investors welcomed management’s stated “disciplined approach to acquisitions” and refusal to overpay in a category where synergies with the supermarket core business are more theoretical than obvious.

What it means for pet-owning households: nothing changes at the checkout. Petbarn, City Farmers and Greencross Vets remain under Greencross ownership. The Repeat Delivery auto-ship program keeps rolling, the Friends for Life loyalty scheme still stacks, and the 250-plus Vet clinics stay outside supermarket ownership, which matters if you value independent clinical advice from your vet rather than a supermarket private-label push. Coles will now double down on its own Best Buys pet range and its Bluey merchandise partnership (fresh Bluey pet accessories launched in-store this week), Woolworths keeps the Petstock alliance, and the ACCC avoids what would have been a lengthy competition review at exactly the same time the regulator is fighting Coles on a separate front over the blocked Kalgoorlie supermarket application. The bigger message for shoppers is a rare good-news signal on supermarket restraint: management chose disciplined shareholder returns over empire-building, and Petbarn shoppers keep an independent alternative to the two supermarket giants.

EOFY 2026 Was A Fizzer: June Household Spending Up Just 0.3 Per Cent

The Commonwealth Bank Household Spending Insights Index for June 2026, released Wednesday 16 July 2026, confirms what a lot of retailers already suspected: the end-of-financial-year sales month was a genuine soft launch. Overall household spending rose just 0.3 per cent in June, retail spending eased to 0.2 per cent (down from 0.6 per cent in May), and recreation spending decelerated sharply from 2.3 per cent in May to 0.2 per cent in June (CommBank Newsroom, 16 July 2026). CommBank noted that “for the first six months of 2026, the average monthly increase is sitting at 0.3 per cent, slightly lower than the 0.5 per cent average through 2025”, a clear signal that household budgets remain under pressure a full year after the RBA’s February 2025 rate-cut cycle began. The only categories to post strong monthly gains were Utilities (up 1.4 per cent as government energy rebates fully unwound in the June bill cycle) and Education (up 1.1 per cent on uni-fee timing).

For shoppers who watched the EOFY promotions and felt they were softer than 2025, the CommBank data explains why: retailers were leaner on discounting because footfall was already thinning, and the deep-percentage headlines shifted from EOFY into the mid-July winter runout that is still running this weekend at David Jones, Myer and Cotton On (see Top 5 below). Western Australia bucked the national trend, with local retailers reporting shoppers “prepared to spend with the right bargain” (The West Australian retail coverage, 16 July 2026), a reminder that WA’s resource-linked wages remain a genuine outlier. For household budgets: the June quarter CPI print lands on Wednesday 30 July, the next RBA cash-rate decision is Tuesday 12 August, and the mid-year sales window closes at David Jones and Myer around the first weekend of August. If a winter jacket, doona set or under-100 pair of chinos is still on the list, this weekend and next are the last two clean discount windows before the August spring range reset.

Fuel Excise Unwind Lifts Inflation Expectations To 5.7 Per Cent

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence for the week ending 13 July 2026 rose a slight 0.6 points to 75.3, but the more consequential number in the same release was Inflation Expectations, which jumped 0.3 percentage points to 5.7 per cent, the biggest weekly rise in three months (Roy Morgan, 14 July 2026). Analysts pointed directly at the federal government’s decision to reverse half of the temporary fuel excise cut from 1 July, which added roughly 10 cents per litre back on to petrol prices at the pump, with the second and final excise step-up landing at 11:59pm on Sunday 2 August (full excise resumes Monday 3 August). Separately, the Westpac-Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment Index for July rose 4.1 per cent to 83.9, a six-month high (Westpac IQ, 14 July 2026), driven by falling fuel prices in the survey week (average pump price down to $1.60 per litre as Middle East war shocks unwound). Two indices, two different weeks, two different signals: sentiment ticked up on cheaper fuel, expectations ticked up on the excise unwind.

The practical read for households: the July confidence bounce is masking a genuine cost-of-living squeeze that has three tailwinds waiting in August, being the full return of fuel excise on 3 August, the June quarter CPI print on 30 July that will re-open the RBA rate debate, and the traditional utility-bill lift that always lands in the first quarter of the financial year. ANZ Head of Australian Economics Adelaide Timbrell noted the confidence lift is “welcome but fragile” and warned the July RBA hold at 4.35 per cent leaves the door open for one more cut later in 2026 only if inflation cooperates (ANZ Newsroom, 13 July 2026). For anyone filling the tank this weekend or next: use the low day of the local city price cycle (Monday or Tuesday in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, Wednesday in Adelaide), stack a Flybuys or Everyday Rewards 4-cents-per-litre fuel docket where available, and consider a full tank on Saturday 1 August before the excise steps back up.

Disney OOSHIES Back At Woolworths, BIG W And MILKRUN From Wednesday

Woolworths brings back its Disney OOSHIES collectibles from Wednesday 15 July 2026, running until Tuesday 25 August, with a 40-character line-up spanning Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars and, for the first time, expansion to BIG W and MILKRUN alongside Woolworths supermarkets (Woolworths Group release, 6 July 2026). Households earn one OOSHIE per $30 spent in a single shop across Woolworths, BIG W and MILKRUN, with bonus OOSHIEs available on participating Bega, Bonds, Heinz, Kellogg’s, Nescafe, Smith’s and other brands. Each OOSHIE is manufactured from 97 per cent recycled materials this year, and Woolworths is running a national in-store recycling program until 31 October so families can return unwanted OOSHIEs from past collections for material recovery rather than landfill. A Collector Case is available for $10 (or free with a $100 shop) and includes a printed board game plus two exclusive glow-in-the-dark OOSHIEs.

Consumer angle: for a household already spending $200-plus a week on groceries at Woolworths, this is a free reward mechanic that rewards weekly shop consolidation rather than one-off basket splitting. Practical shopper moves: check the participating brands list before your Wednesday shop (bonus OOSHIEs stack on top of the $30 threshold), keep the recycling drop bin address handy if the kids have older OOSHIEs cluttering the toy box, and consider bulking the fortnightly big shop onto one till transaction rather than splitting across two smaller shops (a $180 shop earns six OOSHIEs, whereas two $90 shops earn six as well, but the paper receipts and Everyday Rewards points stack differently). Coles counters with Bluey merchandise across the pet, homewares and stationery aisles this week, and Aldi runs its own Special Buys spring reset next Wednesday. Nothing new here for kids-free households, but for the family segment this is the biggest supermarket loyalty hook of the winter school holidays.

Five Fresh Australian Stores, Audited At Dawn

Five stores. Five categories. All fresh names today, none carried over from the last three days, all headline discounts verified from the live sale pages this morning.

1Today’s Top
DiscountGlassonsWomen's WearUp to 75 per cent off Glassons: dresses, denim, tees, knitwear and coats from the trans-Tasman womenswear brand with New Zealand roots and a strong Australian retail presence, with Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over $80.75%OFF2MyerDepartment StoresUp to 60 per cent off at Myer: menswear, womenswear, homewares, beauty and toys from the Melbourne-headquartered department store, with Myer One rewards points, Afterpay, Zip and click-and-collect at over 55 locations.60%OFF3Australian LeatherUgg BootsUp to 50 per cent off Australian Leather: genuine sheepskin Ugg boots, slippers and moccasins hand-crafted in Thomastown Victoria since 1988, with wide-fit options, Afterpay and free shipping over $200.50%OFF4Cotton OnFashion & BasicsUp to 50 per cent off Cotton On: denim, tees, jumpers, sleepwear and activewear from the Geelong-founded Australian-owned brand, with the Cotton On Foundation, Afterpay, Zip and free shipping over $55.50%OFF5HallensteinsMen's WearUp to 50 per cent off Hallensteins: shirts, chinos, jumpers, jackets and workwear from the trans-Tasman menswear label established in 1873 with Australian free returns, Afterpay and free shipping over $80.50%OFF

% discounts shown are indicative across each store’s sale range. Individual product savings vary.

Other Deals Worth A Look

Beyond the Top 5, a handful of other Australian-owned or locally fulfilled retailers are worth a look on the Saturday of the third full trading week of the new financial year. Healthy Life (today’s Top 6 ticker pick) has up to 50 per cent off vitamins, supplements, pantry staples, sports nutrition and personal-care products from the Woolworths-owned wellness retailer, with Everyday Rewards points, Afterpay and free shipping over $60. Koala has clearance pricing on mattresses, sofas, bunk beds and bedding from the Australian-owned certified B Corp with 120-night trials and free delivery. David Jones keeps its winter runout live across menswear, womenswear, homewares and beauty from the Melbourne and Sydney flagship department store, with free shipping over $100. Temple & Webster has running winter sale prices on lounge, dining, outdoor and rugs from the Australian-listed online furniture specialist, with free returns on most items and click-to-order Australia-wide. JB Hi-Fi continues its This Week’s Hottest Deals across TVs, laptops, headphones and kitchen appliances from the Australian-listed electronics retailer, with in-store price beat and click-and-collect at over 200 locations. All Australian-owned or locally fulfilled, all backed by the Australian Consumer Law.

Our Take

Two disciplined moves in one week tell a bigger story about where 2026 retail is heading. Coles chose shareholder returns over a $4 billion pet-supply empire, and the ASX rewarded it with a 4 per cent share-price jump inside 24 hours. In a category as fragmented as Australian pet retail, that discipline is worth more to the average shopper than a merger synergy story: Petbarn stays independent, the Greencross Vet network keeps clinical distance from a supermarket private-label push, and the ACCC avoids a lengthy competition review. Meanwhile CommBank data confirms the average household is spending 0.3 per cent more per month than a year ago, well below inflation, well below wage growth, and well below the retailer scenarios written into 2025 budget forecasts. The retail winners of the next 90 days will be the ones who read that number honestly: real Australian discounts, real Australian-owned or locally fulfilled ranges, and no fake-EOFY headline pricing dressed up as a fresh sale.

That is exactly why It’s On Sale exists. We track 35,000 Australian stores and 45,000 live sale products, every retailer Australian-owned or locally fulfilled, every promotion audited daily against the store’s own price history. No trial traps, no hidden fees, no offshore marketplaces dressed up as a local brand. Today’s Sales shows every store currently running a discount in one place. The AI search reads the way real shoppers ask (try “womens winter knitwear under 100” or “mens work shirts half price”). None of it is Temu, Shein, AliExpress, Wish or any offshore marketplace dressed up as a local brand. Browse Today’s Sales on the Saturday of the third full week of the new financial year, and make your money go further with Australian retailers who stand behind the ticket.

It’s On Sale Australia’s home for genuine retail deals. Browse today’s featured stores at itsonsale.com.au.

Neil Fairhead

CEO, It’s On Sale

inConnect

Friday morning and the loyalty-program map has been redrawn twice this week. Coles has scrapped the flat $10 Flybuys redemption cap and rolled out tiered Pay With Points at every supermarket checkout, meaning shoppers with a healthy point balance can now take up to $100 off a single shop instead of ten $10 redemptions across ten trips. Bunnings has launched PowerPass Pro Rewards, its biggest loyalty overhaul since 2011, for tradies and small businesses. Meanwhile the cash acceptance mandate that started on 1 July now carries real teeth (penalties up to $198,000 per breach), only two more weekends of half-strength fuel excise relief remain before the full excise returns on 3 August, and Friday’s Top 5 opens with Elite Supplements and UGG Express both at up to 80 per cent off.

Flybuys Just Got Better: Up to $100 Off in a Single Coles Shop

Coles rolled out a national update to the Flybuys Pay With Points program on Tuesday 14 July 2026, replacing the previous flat $10-off ceiling with a tiered redemption structure that lets in-store shoppers instantly take between $10 and $100 off a single Coles supermarket transaction depending on their points balance (Coles Group media release, 15 July 2026). Under the previous system, once a Flybuys member accumulated 2,000 points (worth $10), they could redeem that in one $10 chunk and only in one $10 chunk. Anyone sitting on 20,000 points had to make ten separate redemptions across ten separate shops. The change locks the point-value math (every 2,000 points is still worth $10) but unlocks six redemption tiers at the register: $10 for 2,000 points, $20 for 4,000 points, $30 for 6,000 points, $50 for 10,000 points, $70 for 14,000 points, and $100 for 20,000 points (International Business Times Australia, 14 July 2026).

Three practical points if you want to use the higher tiers this weekend. First, this is in-store only. If you shop Coles online at coles.com.au, the old flat structure still applies. Second, set your reward preference to \”pay with points\” in the Flybuys app or on the Flybuys website before you head to the supermarket. Without that flag, the checkout will earn points instead of offering to redeem them. Third, the maximum $100 redemption is per transaction not per day and one redemption per Flybuys account per calendar day, so splitting a $200 shop across two trips only helps if you have 40,000 points banked. Coles has also confirmed the same six-tier structure will land at selected Liquorland stores from Wednesday 19 August 2026 in Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, New South Wales, the ACT and selected Western Australian and South Australian stores. Woolworths Everyday Rewards, for reference, still uses the fixed 2,000-point-to-$10 Rewards Dollar model, redeemable at Woolworths, BWS or as an e-gift card, and has not announced a matching move.

Bunnings Launches PowerPass Pro Rewards: Biggest Overhaul Since 2011

Bunnings rolled out PowerPass Pro Rewards on Monday 13 July 2026, its biggest loyalty overhaul since the original PowerPass launched in 2011. The new tiered program is free to join and pitched at tradies, sole traders and small to medium businesses across Australia and New Zealand, and it is the first Bunnings loyalty scheme to combine store cashback, fuel discounts and Qantas Business Rewards points in one wallet (Point Hacks, 13 July 2026). There are six spend tiers running from Member (up to $1,999 a year) through Essential, Plus, Elite, Ultimate and up to Black at $100,000 a year in eligible spend. Every member from the Essential tier upwards earns $100 in Pro Rewards Dollars on their first $2,000 of spend and $50 for every $1,000 after that, redeemable at Bunnings by the primary account holder (Qantas Business Rewards PowerPass Pro Rewards page).

The Qantas points sweetener kicks in at the Elite tier ($25,000 annual spend) with 15,000 Qantas Points paid to a linked Qantas Business Rewards account, rising to 25,000 points at Ultimate ($50,000) and 85,000 points at Black ($100,000), plus a further 85,000 points for every additional $100,000 of qualifying spend within the same membership year, capped at $1 million. Fuel discounts through Shell Card Lite start at 5 cents per litre at Member and step up to 8 cents per litre at Black. Bunnings excludes delivery, installation services, Frame and Truss purchases, off-range purchases and most discounted sales from earning Pro Rewards Dollars, so eligible spend is not the same as total till spend. For any It’s On Sale reader running a small business who already shops Bunnings for materials, the switch is a no-brainer: it is free, and the first $2,000 of annual spend now returns $100. Sign up at trade.bunnings.com.au/powerpass-pro-rewards, and check the ABN on your PowerPass matches the ABN on your Qantas Business Rewards account before your next big order.

Cash Acceptance Mandate Now Enforceable, Up To $198,000 Fines

Australia’s new cash acceptance codes officially came into force on 1 January 2026, but the penalty provisions only switched on from 1 July 2026, and they carry real teeth. Under the codes, grocery retailers, fuel stations, pharmacies and healthcare providers now have a legal obligation to accept cash for in-person purchases of $500 or less during trading hours between 7am and 9pm (ACCC payment methods guidance). Businesses with less than $10 million in annual turnover are exempt from the codes, unless they trade under a big-retailer brand (a franchisee Coles Express, for example, is captured). Penalties for a breach can reach $198,000 per contravention (CHOICE, 6 July 2026). Put simply: if you queue up at Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, IGA, BP, Shell, 7-Eleven, an Ampol staffed site or any major pharmacy chain during trading hours with a $500-or-under bill and cash in your pocket, and the operator refuses to accept it, the operator is now facing a potentially six-figure fine.

The codes carry a narrow but genuine set of carve-outs. On 9 July 2026 the ACCC granted the first two exemptions to motor fuel retailers, both for unstaffed automated sites where there is no human at the till to accept cash: Ampol U-Go received a five-year exemption for 50 sites, and Petro National received a ten-year exemption for four sites (ACCC media release, 9 July 2026). Consumer practical guide: keep a small emergency cash float ($50 to $100 in mixed notes) in the car glovebox for bank-outage days, know your rights the next time a supermarket cashier tries to redirect you to a card-only self-checkout, and if a business does refuse cash on a compliant transaction, report it to the ACCC via accc.gov.au/contact-us. For older shoppers, anyone caught by a card outage, and anyone who prefers cash for budgeting reasons, this is one of the most consumer-friendly regulatory shifts of the year.

Two Weekends Left of Half-Strength Fuel Excise Relief

Australian motorists have two weekends left to make the most of the temporary fuel excise cut before the discount steps down again. From 1 July 2026 the government reduced the excise discount from 32 cents per litre (in effect April to June) to a half-strength 16 cents per litre, and the remaining relief expires at 11:59pm on Sunday 2 August 2026, at which point full excise resumes on Monday 3 August (Lawpath, 1 July 2026). Practical shopper moves for the next fortnight: fill up on the low day of your local city price cycle (usually Monday or Tuesday in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, Wednesday in Adelaide), stack a Flybuys or Everyday Rewards 4-cent-per-litre supermarket fuel docket where available, and consider a full tank on Saturday 1 August before the excise steps up. The broader macro picture supports keeping expectations sober: the Melbourne Institute’s July inflation expectations survey printed at 4.7 per cent, a six-month low but still well above the RBA’s 2 to 3 per cent target band (Trading Economics, Australia inflation expectations). Translation: the RBA is unlikely to rush more rate cuts, and the household squeeze on grocery, fuel and utility bills continues into spring.

Five Fresh Australian Stores, Audited at Dawn

Five stores. Five categories. All fresh names today, none carried over from the last three days, all headline discounts verified from the live sale pages this morning.

1Today’s Top
DiscountElite SupplementsSupplementsUp to 80 per cent off Elite Supplements: protein powders, pre-workouts, amino acids and sports nutrition from the Australian-owned specialist, with stores across NSW and Queensland, click-and-collect and 30-day satisfaction guarantee.80%OFF2UGG ExpressUgg BootsUp to 80 per cent off UGG Express: sheepskin boots, slippers and moccasins for men, women and kids from the Australian sheepskin footwear specialist, with Afterpay, Zip and free shipping on orders over $60.80%OFF3BakuBeachwearUp to 70 per cent off Baku: swimwear, resort wear, cover-ups and beach accessories from the Australian-owned swim label designed on the Gold Coast, with size-inclusive ranges and free shipping over $80.70%OFF4MossmanWomen's WearUp to 70 per cent off Mossman: dresses, knitwear, tops and pants from the Australian-owned womenswear label with a modern minimalist aesthetic, with Afterpay, Zip and free returns on full-price orders.70%OFF5ColetteFashion AccessoriesUp to 69 per cent off Colette: handbags, tech accessories, jewellery and travel accessories from the Australian-owned Sydney-based accessories retailer, with stores nationally and click-and-collect at your local shopping centre.69%OFF

% discounts shown are indicative across each store’s sale range. Individual product savings vary.

Other Deals Worth A Look

Beyond the Top 5, a handful of other Australian-owned retailers are worth a look on the Friday of the second full trading week of the new financial year. Academy Brand (today’s Top 6 ticker pick) has up to 60 per cent off tees, shirts, chinos, denim and knitwear from the Australian-founded menswear label with a Bondi flagship, plus Afterpay and free shipping over $99. Koala has clearance pricing on mattresses, sofas, kids furniture and bedding from the Australian-owned certified B Corp with 120-night trials and free shipping. Myer continues up to 60 per cent off across menswear, womenswear and homewares as the Melbourne-headquartered department store rolls its winter runout into the final weekend. JB Hi-Fi has running specials on TVs, laptops, gaming and small kitchen appliances from the Australian-listed electronics retailer, with in-store price beat and click-and-collect at over 200 locations. All Australian-owned or locally fulfilled, all backed by the Australian Consumer Law.

Our Take

Two loyalty stories in one week point in the same direction: rewards programs are being redesigned to feel bigger, faster and more visible at the checkout. Coles has swapped a $10 ceiling for a $100 ceiling with no change to the underlying point value, and Bunnings has stacked store cashback on top of fuel discounts on top of Qantas points for anyone willing to sign a small business up. Neither program suddenly makes anyone richer. What they do is reward the shopper who actively opts in, sets their preferences, and consolidates spend with retailers who have a real customer-service phone number and a real Australian ABN. That is a fair trade, but it only works if you use it. Check your Flybuys balance before your next big Coles shop. Move your PowerPass account onto Pro Rewards before the next quarterly reset. And keep a $100 cash float in the car in case the pump reader refuses your card on the way home.

That is exactly why It’s On Sale exists. We track 35,000 Australian stores and 45,000 live sale products, every retailer Australian-owned or locally fulfilled, every promotion audited daily against the store’s own price history. No trial traps, no hidden fees, no offshore marketplaces dressed up as a local brand. Today’s Sales shows every store currently running a discount in one place. The AI search reads the way real shoppers ask (try \”mens winter chinos under 100\” or \”womens beachwear half price\”). None of it is Temu, Shein, AliExpress, Wish or any offshore marketplace dressed up as a local brand. Browse Today’s Sales on the Friday of the second full week of the new financial year, and make your money go further with Australian retailers who stand behind the ticket.

It’s On Sale Australia’s home for genuine retail deals. Browse today’s featured stores at itsonsale.com.au.

Neil Fairhead

CEO, It’s On Sale

inConnect

Thursday morning and the ACCC has landed the first big consumer win of the second full week of the new financial year: Origin Energy will refund more than $270,000 to over 4,500 customers whose “Ongoing Saver” plan sometimes cost them more than the retailer’s cheaper Basic plan. It is the first-ever designated-complaint outcome under the framework CHOICE lodged on 21 May 2025, and refunds average around $60 a customer. Meanwhile Perth-founded activewear label STAX has appointed liquidators leaving customers holding un-honoured gift cards, ASIC has released the first detailed dataset showing $3.66 billion in retail collapses since 2021, petrol has jumped 16 cents per litre since the 30 June excise cut expired, and Thursday’s Top 5 is led by Kick Push Skate at 86 per cent off.

Origin Refunds 4,500 Customers on ‘Saver’ Plan That Was Not

Origin Energy will pay back more than $270,000 to over 4,500 current and former customers on its “Ongoing Saver” electricity plan after an ACCC investigation found the plan sometimes charged more than Origin’s cheaper Basic plan for the same tariff (ACCC media release, 14 July 2026). Refunds average around $60 per customer, and Origin has committed to contact every affected customer directly. Current customers can choose a refund or an automatic bill credit, and former customers will be reached out to for a refund. Origin has also discontinued the Ongoing Saver plan altogether and undertaken not to use “saver” naming for any future plan unless genuine savings are built in for the life of the plan (Canstar consumer summary, 14 July 2026).

ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey put the message to the wider industry in one sentence: “Electricity retailers that claim or suggest savings for consumers on their plans, including in the name of the plan, must ensure that the savings are actually delivered to customers for the life of the plan” (Lawyerly by Cindy Cameronne, 14 July 2026). The action is significant beyond the dollar amount: it is the first outcome of the ACCC’s new designated-complaint framework, triggered by a CHOICE submission lodged on 21 May 2025. CHOICE consumer data advocate Andy Kollmorgen welcomed the result and confirmed CHOICE will continue using the framework, saying “the ACCC has again shown that misleading claims will not fly, and consumers are entitled to accurate information from retailers, especially on essential services like electricity” (CHOICE media release, 14 July 2026). Origin did not admit any breach of the Australian Consumer Law but committed to the refunds, retiring the plan, and revised marketing practices.

How To Check If You Are One of the 4,500

Four practical steps for anyone who thinks they might be on the list. First, you do not have to lodge a claim. Origin will initiate contact by email, SMS and by post over the coming weeks. If you are still an Origin customer, log into your My Account dashboard and check the name of your current or previous electricity plan. If you see “Ongoing Saver” listed for any billing period, you are almost certainly in scope. If you are a former Origin customer, dig out any of your past bills or the welcome pack, look for the plan name in the top-right corner of the tariff summary, and if in doubt call Origin on 13 24 61 (the residential customer service number, published on origin.com.au) and ask them to check.

Second, watch out for scam callers. Origin, the ACCC and IDCARE have all flagged that opportunistic scammers ring customers after refund announcements pretending to represent the company. Origin has confirmed its official communications will not ask for your credit-card number or banking details, and legitimate refunds will either credit your existing Origin billing account or refund to the account already on file. If a caller asks you to “confirm” your card details, hang up. Call Origin back on an independently-sourced number and, if you have already shared personal information, contact IDCARE on 1800 595 160 or report the incident to scamwatch.gov.au (ACCC scam guidance, 14 July 2026). Third, if the refund is important and Origin has not contacted you within eight weeks, escalate to the free Energy and Water Ombudsman in your state or territory. Fourth, and this is the important one, use the moment to re-check your current plan against the Australian Government’s Energy Made Easy comparison tool. A CHOICE analysis last year found that in some cases switching to a cheaper plan with the same retailer would have saved households more than the refund itself. Origin’s undertaking closes one door, but every retailer still charges more than a shopper who compares actively.

STAX Collapses, ASIC Report Shows $3.66 Billion In Retail Failures

Cult Perth-born activewear brand STAX has appointed liquidators after receivers failed to find a buyer, and its customers have been told bluntly by the company: gift cards and credit notes will not be honoured, no returns or exchanges will be accepted, and pre-orders placed before 24 June 2026 may or may not be fulfilled subject to a resolution with the third-party logistics provider (PerthNow by Kelsey Reid, 13 July 2026). Founders Matilda Murray and Don Robertson, who launched the brand from a Perth bedroom in 2015, told customers on Monday they had read “hundreds of messages during what has been the most difficult chapter of our lives,” but that control of the company and its assets now sits with the receivers (7NEWS by Emma Kirk, 14 July 2026). Brian Silvia and Michael Hird of CasCap Advisory were appointed as liquidators on Friday 10 July, and Joseph Hansell and Asjadi Hone of FTI Consulting have been receivers on behalf of NAB since June. If you are a STAX customer holding a gift card or an unfulfilled order, ask your bank about a Section 271 chargeback for undelivered goods (this works if you paid by credit card and the transaction was in the last six months), and lodge a proof of debt as an unsecured creditor via CasCap Advisory. STAX is the second high-profile Australian retail collapse in as many weeks. Congo Brands Australia, the local distributor for Logan Paul and KSI’s Prime Hydration drinks, was placed into voluntary administration on 7 July with the first creditors meeting scheduled for Friday 17 July (Insolvency Insider Australia, 12 July 2026).

The context around both collapses landed the same week from a different angle. On 7 July ASIC published its first-ever detailed dataset on voluntary administrations and deeds of company arrangement, revealing that 238 retail businesses have collapsed since 2021 with $3.66 billion in combined liabilities (Jeweller Magazine by Samuel Ord, 10 July 2026). ASIC Commissioner Kate O’Rourke noted that most smaller retail administrations, those with less than $1 million in liabilities, end up in straight liquidation rather than a rescue deed. And yet a CommBank Research release the same week confirmed shopping-centre vacancy has dropped to 4.4 per cent, its lowest reading since 2018, and landlords are backfilling closed stores fast (CommBank Newsroom, 15 July 2026). Translation for shoppers: the churn is real, so buy from Australian-owned retailers with a clean trading history and a real customer-service phone number, use your credit card (not debit) whenever a purchase is large or a delivery is more than 21 days away, and keep receipts.

Petrol Up 16 Cents Since 30 June, Excise Relief Ends 2 August

The ACCC’s 18th weekly fuel price monitoring update has national average unleaded at 167.5 cents per litre, up roughly 16 cents from the 30 June low point after the government’s partial restoration of fuel excise on 1 July (ACCC weekly report summary via IndexBox, 10 July 2026). The remaining excise relief expires on Sunday 2 August 2026, at which point pump prices are expected to step up again by up to 8 cents per litre. Practical shopper moves this week: buy on the low day of your local city price cycle (typically Monday or Tuesday in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and Wednesday in Adelaide), use a fuel-finder app such as MotorMouth or the ACCC-supported state government sites to compare within 10 kilometres of home, and stack a 4-cents-per-litre supermarket rewards discount where you can. If your household drives 400 kilometres a week in an average family car, that combination is worth roughly $10 to $15 a fortnight relative to the highest point of the cycle. Not a fortune, but it more than covers the average $60 Origin refund landing in the same window.

Five Fresh Australian Stores, Audited at Dawn

Five stores. Five categories. All fresh names today, none carried over from the last three days, all headline discounts verified from the live sale pages this morning.

1Today’s Top
DiscountKick Push SkateSkateboardingUp to 86 per cent off Kick Push Skate: complete skateboards, decks, trucks, wheels and skate hardware from the Australian-owned specialist trading online and from its Sydney warehouse with same-week dispatch across Australia.86%OFF2RebelSport ClothingUp to 85 per cent off Rebel: running shoes, activewear, gym gear, cricket, football and Olympic-brand ranges from Australia’s biggest sport-and-outdoor retailer, with over 160 stores and click-and-collect from your local shopping centre.85%OFF3ShowpoWomen's FashionUp to 80 per cent off Showpo: dresses, jumpsuits, denim, workwear and event pieces from the Australian-owned Sydney-based womenswear label, with Afterpay, Zip and free returns on full-price orders.80%OFF4DecjubaWomen's WearUp to 70 per cent off Decjuba: knitwear, coats, denim and workwear from the Australian-owned Melbourne-based womenswear label, with over 130 stores across Australia and New Zealand and free shipping over $80.70%OFF5EckersleysArt SuppliesUp to 70 per cent off Eckersleys Art Supplies: acrylic and oil paints, brushes, canvases, sketchbooks and pens from the family-owned Melbourne-founded art specialist, with stores from Perth to Brisbane and Zip and Afterpay at checkout.70%OFF

% discounts shown are indicative across each store’s sale range. Individual product savings vary.

Other Deals Worth A Look

Beyond the Top 5, a handful of other Australian-owned retailers are worth a look on the Thursday of the second full trading week of the new financial year. Dusk (today’s Top 6 ticker pick) has 60 per cent off candles, diffusers and homewares from the Australian-owned Melbourne-based homewares label, with Afterpay and free shipping over $50. Rockwear is running up to 50 per cent off Australian-designed activewear, gym leggings and sports bras from the Melbourne-based label, with click-and-collect available in most state capitals. Koala has clearance pricing on mattresses, sofas and bedroom furniture from the Australian-owned certified B Corp with 120-night trials. Myer has up to 60 per cent off across menswear, womenswear and homewares as the Melbourne-headquartered department store continues its winter runout. All Australian-owned or locally fulfilled, all backed by the Australian Consumer Law.

Our Take

Two stories in one morning tell the same consumer-protection story from opposite ends. On the ACCC side, a five-year regulatory experiment (the designated-complaint framework) has produced its first refund, $60 a household times 4,500 households, on an energy plan that was named for a saving it did not deliver. On the collapse side, a wildly popular activewear label that raised eyebrows for taking on Nike and Lululemon has left thousands of customers holding gift cards worth nothing. Both remind us that the paperwork matters. A plan named “Saver” is not automatically a saving. A gift card is not a savings account, it is an unsecured claim against a company that may or may not be trading in eight weeks. The Australian Consumer Law is the strongest household protection in this country’s history, but it works only if you use it: read the plan name and the tariff, buy from retailers with a proven Australian trading history, and put big purchases on a credit card so the bank is your first line of defence.

That is exactly why It’s On Sale exists. We track 35,000 Australian stores and 45,000 live sale products, every retailer Australian-owned or locally fulfilled, every promotion audited daily against the store’s own price history. No trial traps, no hidden fees, no offshore marketplaces dressed up as a local brand. Today’s Sales shows every store currently running a discount in one place. The AI search reads the way real shoppers ask (try “womens winter dresses under 100” or “kids skateboards half price”). None of it is Temu, Shein, AliExpress, Wish or any offshore marketplace dressed up as a local brand. Browse Today’s Sales on the Thursday of the second full week of the new financial year, and make your money go further with Australian retailers who stand behind the ticket.

It’s On Sale Australia’s home for genuine retail deals. Browse today’s featured stores at itsonsale.com.au.