Coles caught up in fresh controversy

A Coles TV advertisement for Tasmanian Pink Lady Apples has the supermarket giant back in the spotlight over its “fresh” claims.

The advert saw celebrity chef Curtis Stone asking what is fresh at Coles right now, followed by a screenshot of Tasmanian Pink Lady Apples on special for $2.80 per kg.

A viewer, however, complained about the ad saying: “This is wrong and not possible, I live in Tassie and my apple tree is dormant! These apples would have been in storage for MONTHS, they are not fresh. This ad is misleading and my wife would like a personal apology from Curtis (or cash).”

Coles defended the ad, saying that the pink lady variety featured in the ad were harvested in April this year.

“Coles is able to continue to deliver a fresh apple outside of the harvesting period due to the availability of advanced cold storage facilities. Cold storage facilities place apples in a controlled low temperature and reduced oxygen (no nitrogen is added) environment to preserve their freshness.”

“Coles’ view that produce can remain “fresh” despite storage is consistent with the Macquarie Dictionary, which defines ‘fresh’ as retaining the original properties unimpaired; not deteriorated; not canned or frozen; not preserved by pickling, salting, drying, etc.”

However, the Advertising Standards Board said that a reference to ‘Spring’ fruit in the advertisement changed the context of the word ‘fresh’ to imply that the advertised apples were freshly picked during the Spring season ready for immediate sale, which made the advertisement misleading.

The supermarket, which was last month banned by the Federal Court from advertising that its in-store par-baked bread is made or baked on the same day it is sold, has now taken the ad off the air.