Farmers have been calling for higher prices for weeks, amid soaring diesel and fertiliser costs and limited supply

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Coles has increased home-brand milk prices by up to 20c a litre, with Woolworths set to follow as war in the Middle East starts to hit Australian grocery costs.

The price rise will support the company’s bottom line against pressure from higher fuel and operating costs, while some of the revenue will be temporarily passed on to dairy farmers.

Senior manager at supermarket giant gives evidence on day two of case brought by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

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A senior Woolworths executive has defended relaxing rules designed to protect shoppers from misleading discounts by preventing the supermarket or suppliers from “gaming” the “Prices Dropped” promotional program.

Woolworths’ chief commercial officer, Paul Harker, gave evidence on the second day of a landmark trial between the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and Woolworths in the federal court on Wednesday.