G41 Food Retailing

Coles rings up winning sales growth

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Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 13 & 16 : 27-Aug-25

Grocery giant Coles Group has posted a 2024-25 net profit of $1.079bn, which is 3.5 per cent lower than previously. However, sales rose by 1.8 per cent to $44.49bn for the full year, with stronger growth in sales during the second half. The group’s flagship Coles Finest private label brand recorded sales growth of 13.9 per cent for the financial year, well above growth in sales for branded products. CEO Leah Weckert notes that sales revenue rose by 4.9 per cent in the first eight weeks of the current financial year. Meanwhile, Coles’ liquor division has posted full-year earnings of $113m, which is 15 per cent lower than previously.

CORPORATES
COLES GROUP LIMITED – ASX COL

$140m Woolies wipe-out boosts Coles

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Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 15 : 10-Dec-24

Woolworths has yet to determine the full cost of the industrial action at four of its distribution centres. The strike action was initially estimated to have cost it about $50m in lost sales, but this is expected to rise to around $140m. The resolution of the industrial dispute will result in a pay rise of 11 per cent over three years for the warehouse staff; the United Workers Union had initially sought an increase of 25 per cent. Meanwhile, rival Coles has enjoyed a sales boost due to the strike action, although it has had to put on extra staff at its supermarkets and warehouses to meet the increased demand.

CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW, UNITED WORKERS UNION, COLES GROUP LIMITED – ASX COL

Aldi the most trust supermarket as Coles, Woolies fend off fake discount claims

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Original article by Danielle Long
The Australian – Page: 17 : 11-Oct-24

Research from Roy Morgan shows that Aldi is Australia’s most trusted supermarket brand in 2024, having risen from third place in 2023. Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine says Aldi’s rise in the firm’s Trusted Brand Awards reflects factors such as the increased distrust of grocery giants Woolworths and Coles in the wake of recent scandals such as allegations of price gouging; Levine adds that consumers have responded positively to Aldi’s competitive pricing and commitment to quality. Woolworths and Coles are now the fourth and fifth most distrusted brands, according to Roy Morgan.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD, WOOLWORTHS SUPERMARKETS, WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW, COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, COLES GROUP LIMITED – ASX COL

Coles outdoes Woolworths on several fronts

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Original article by Carrie LaFrenz
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 3-Sep-24

The latest financial results from grocery giants Coles and Woolworths show that the former is outperforming its larger rival on several key metrics. Coles is recording faster growth in sales, due to factors such as store promotions, the perception among consumers that it is a cheaper brand, and the ease of redeeming loyalty points. Coles is also narrowing the gap with Woolworths regarding gross margins, after focusing on stock losses and managing costs. Meanwhile, the share price of Coles has risen by nearly 20 per cent over the last 12 months, while Woolworths has shed 5.4 per cent.

CORPORATES
COLES GROUP LIMITED – ASX COL, WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW

Australia’s major supermarkets accused of purchasing properties to turf out independent stores

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Original article by Jonathan Barrett
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 12-Apr-24

The Senate inquiry into supermarket prices has been told that grocery giants Coles and Woolworths engage in land-banking to prevent smaller rivals from opening a store near their supermarkets. Grant Ramage, the CEO of Metcash’s food division, said the duopoly is also prepared to pay inflated prices to buy out rivals in order to stifle competition, while they have been known to buy retail properties that are tenanted by independent supermarkets and subsequently not renew their lease. Aldi Australia’s CEO Anna McGrath has told the inquiry that rival supermarket chains often reduce their prices when the Germany-based company opens a new store near their existing outlets.

CORPORATES
METCASH LIMITED – ASX MTS, COLES GROUP LIMITED – ASX COL, WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD

Supermarket break-up powers called for

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Original article by Tom McIlroy, Ronald Mizen
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 19-Mar-24

The Greens want the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission to be given powers to apply for a court order to break up companies that abuse their market power. Greens senator Nick McKim says supermarkets are the focus of the proposed divestiture laws, although he emphasises that the ACCC could also use these powers to target companies in other sectors. Meanwhile, the Australian Retail Association has rejected claims that grocery giants Coles and Woolworths are price-gouging, contending that the duopoly’s sales and costs have increased much faster than their profits over the last five years.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION, COLES GROUP LIMITED – ASX COL, WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW

Supermarkets warned on pricing

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Original article by Ronald Mizen
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 16-Jan-24

Australian Competition & Consumer Commission chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb says it could potentially take legal action against a major supermarket chain in the next 12 months for breaching consumer law. Although the ACCC does not have price monitoring powers when it comes to supermarkets, it does have a role in investigating misleading and deceptive conduct. Cass-Gottlieb noted that the ACCC is concerned about the issue of ‘was, now pricing’, whereby chains offer a discount on an item, but may have engaged in deceptive behaviour by increasing the price of the item for a short time beforehand.

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A staggering number of people believe they can justify shoplifting

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Original article by Ash Cant
The New Daily – Page: Online : 27-Sep-23

Research from Monash University shows that many Australians believe that shoplifting is acceptable due to the cost-of-living crisis. Some 28 per cent of respondents are of the view that it is fine to take an item from a store without paying for it. However, 93 per cent of consumers aged 55+ said that shoplifting is not at all justifiable, compared with just 47 per cent of those aged 18-34. Meanwhile, 30 per cent of respondents believe it is fine to change the price tags on products. Major supermarket chains have ramped up their anti-theft measures in response to a spike in shoplifting.

CORPORATES
MONASH UNIVERSITY

Coles warns on price rises as shoppers grab home brands

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Original article by Carrie LaFrenz
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 22-Feb-23

Coles Group has advised that CEO Steven Cain will step down on 1 May after five years in the role. He will be succeeded by Leah Weckert, who will be the first woman to run a major supermarket chain in Australia. Coles has posted a 2022-23 interim net profit from continuing operations of $616m, which is 11.4 per cent higher than previously; revenue rose four per cent to $20.59bn. The company has indicated that price inflation rose to 7.7 per cent across its product range in the December quarter, up from 7.1 per cent in the September quarter. However, Cain expects inflation to moderate in the second half of the financial year. Weckert notes that many consumers are switching to home-brand grocery products amid the cost-of-living pressures.

CORPORATES
COLES GROUP LIMITED – ASX COL

Aldi crowned Supermarket of the Year for fifth year running

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Original article by Sezen Bakan
The New Daily – Page: Online : 3-Aug-22

Aldi has topped Canstar Blue’s annual supermarket satisfaction ratings for a fifth consecutive year, ahead of Coles, Woolworths and IGA. Aldi Australia’s MD Oliver Bongardt said the Germany-based retailer has saved Australians more than $7 billion since entering the local market in 2001. Canstar Blue notes that Australia’s supermarkets have shifted their focus to value and the overall customer experience rather than competing on price. Aldi was also recently named the Supermarket of the Year by Roy Morgan for the second year in a row.

CORPORATES
ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD, COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, WOOLWORTHS SUPERMARKETS, IGA, ROY MORGAN LIMITED