Woolworths Group’s Post

🛍️🏬 A Decade and a Half After Woolworths: The High Street's Surprising Resilience! According to Glynn Davis, CannyInsights.com's #Woolies15 report reveals a hopeful tale. 83% of former Woolworths stores remain bustling with activity, showcasing retail's adaptability. From Poundland's dynamic moves to the rise of diverse high street uses - leisure, housing, healthcare - our high streets are evolving into vibrant community hubs. https://lnkd.in/gW54wUEE #RetailRevival #HighStreetEvolution

Woolworths Group and #BigW won’t be selling Australia Day merch. #WoolworthsGroup’s recent decision not to sell Australia Day merchandise in any of their supermarkets and stores nationally, is a compassionate step towards fostering an understanding around the cultural sensitivities of the day. “There has been a gradual decline in demand for Australia Day merchandise from our stores over recent years. At the same time there’s been broader discussion about January 26 and what it means to different parts of the community” – Woolworths spokesperson. With this decision, The Woolworths Group, who hold the greatest share of the grocery retail market in Australia, has shown empathy and respect for all members of our community. This move is an example of the impact businesses can make on society, by creating an environment where everyone feels valued and is treated with respect. In 2023, #Kmart made the same decision, and it is encouraging to see more businesses follow their example, whilst bringing to light a deeper conversation about the history of this country. #australiaday #changethedate #inclusivitymatters #socialresponsibility #compassionateleadership

5yrs ago today we launched into retail with Sainsbury's. Thankfully launch day wasn't a sign of things to come. We broke down en route to Sainsbury's HQ and central LDN isn't exactly blessed with petrol stations, let alone ones that do takeaway. However, retail has been anything but a car crash - JUBEL is on fire. I. We're growing the category: +80% growth vs +1.6% Craft category growth L52W II. We're premiumising the category: our average price per litre is +27% higher than the Craft category average III. We're leading the category: we have the No. 1 growth driving SKU within the Top 20 Craft brands (+124% growth L12W) A BIG thank you to our brilliant retail partners for backing us, and our incredible team for working their backsides off. Bring on the next 5yrs.

5yrs ago today we launched into retail with Sainsbury's. Thankfully launch day wasn't a sign of things to come. We broke down en route to Sainsbury's HQ and central LDN isn't exactly blessed with petrol stations, let alone ones that do takeaway. However, retail has been anything but a car crash - JUBEL is on fire. I. We're growing the category: +80% growth vs +1.6% Craft category growth L52W II. We're premiumising the category: our average price per litre is +27% higher than the Craft category average III. We're leading the category: we have the No. 1 growth driving SKU within the Top 20 Craft brands (+124% growth L12W) A BIG thank you to our brilliant retail partners for backing us, and our incredible team for working their backsides off. Bring on the next 5yrs.

This week, I joined Sunrise and sat down with the Courier Mail, to discuss the intricate dynamics surrounding the cost of produce in supermarkets, Australia Day merchandise and the recent drop in share price. Some have been quick to draw correlation between the drop in Woolworths share price and the decision not to stock Australia Day merchandise, tagging the retailer “go woke, go broke”. However, amongst a retracted share market this week, Coles experienced a more significant drop in their share price, despite continuing to support an Australia Day product range. The decline in grocery store share prices, is largely attributed to international market factors with investors also eyeing the looming senate enquiry into the sector. There is a growing unease among Australians regarding supermarket practices, particularly their impact on farmers, and not passing savings onto consumers. Both Coles and Woolworths wield significant market influence of approximately 70%, underscoring the need to explore greater supply chain transparency and competition in the segment. The interconnected nature of consumer choices, corporate decisions, and farmer livelihoods, emphasises the importance of engaging in thoughtful dialogue and seeking sustainable long-term solutions. #SupermarketDynamics #AustraliaDayMerchandise #SharePriceDecline #MarketTrends #IndustryPressures #SenateInquiry #ConsumerConcerns #SupplyChainTransparency #MarketInfluence #CorporateResponsibility #SustainableSolutions #CompetitionInBusiness #ThoughtfulDialogue #MarketInsights #RetailChallenges #ConsumerChoices #CorporateDecisions #SupplyChainEfficiency #AustralianRetail

Grocery Giants Down Under: Duopoly or Doom? 🇦🇺 After watching this interesting video by Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on the simmering issue of high grocery prices in Australia and the dominance of Coles and Woolworths also known as Coles-Worth. At the end of the video these were the questions that came across in my mind: 1. Are these two supermarket giants stifling competition and driving up prices for everyday Aussies? 2. How did these brands undeniably dominated & controlled a significant share of the market. 3. Does the lack of competition theoretically allow them to inflate prices without much fear of losing customers? The frustration of Aussie consumers and the plight of local suppliers struggling against supermarket giants resonates strongly in this video. The video calls for a shake-up in the grocery sector. Maybe it's time to break up the duopoly and give consumers a fairer share of the (vege)table pie! (The video doesn’t focus much on the complexities of the grocery supply chain, factors like global food price fluctuations, or the efficiency gains these large chains might bring.) But is it that simple? What do you think? Just some questions to continue this discussion: • Coles and Woolies, do they deserve the blame for high grocery prices? • Do we have any alternative solutions besides breaking up the big two? • How can we ensure a fair and competitive grocery market in Australia? #GroceryPrices #Australia #Coles #Woolworths #Competition #SupplyChain https://lnkd.in/gFYYkYiC

From the farm to supermarket shelves, we uncover why you’re paying more at the checkout exposing the secret tactics being used by supermarkets to keep the prices high - and the competition out. Coles and Woolworths have reported record profits amid a rise in the cost of living - and while both deny price gouging, there are now six inquiries and reviews targeting the big two Australian supermarkets. Reporter Angus Grigg interviews the CEOs of Coles and Woolworths, addressing concerns from frustrated customers. Insiders say shoppers are the “ones that are getting screwed” as prices for basic household goods become higher and the profit margins of grocery stores become larger. https://lnkd.in/gpkY5zqx

GROCERY RETAILING IN AUSTRALIA Whenever I visit another country, I also try to visit local grocers. Being in Australia, I went to Woolworths and Coles. The Australian market is essentially a duopoly. Woolworths and Coles together have c. 75% of the market. Duopolies tend to overpice and underdeliver. But the inroads of Aldi have shaken up things a little, and put the big two on edge. I noticed a few things. 1. Self-service checkout (the combi 'self' and service' seems an oxymoron) is big here. Woolworths has two service checkouts and 30 self-service! Coles offered both options. 2. Coles was much more organized, roomier, cleaner, and had a much better store atmosphere. 3. Australians don't care a lot about pasta. The assortment of pasta sauces was minuscule. 4. But they love Vegemite, a yeast paste that you only find in parts of the former British Empire. There is nearly as much shelf space for this as for pasta sauce. 5. Unthinkable in the US, but neither Coles nor Woolworths carried Pampers! A boycott? 6. Many brands were readily recognizable, from Gilette and Pantene to Omo and Nescafe. The power of global brands on full display. 7. Both push their own store brands, but their own brands are much less prominent than you would see in Tesco, Carrefour, or even Kroger. Is here a growth opportunity? PL share in Australia is only 18%. All in all, especially Coles made a very sophisticated impression on me. But my own observation, as well as conversations with Australians suggest that the prices of both Coles and WW are quite high compared to, say, the US. If you enjoyed this, share it with others and follow me Jan-Benedict Steenkamp for more writing. #business #leadership #grit #history #executivedevelopment

Coming from the Netherlands myself, I share Jan-Benedict Steenkamp's views. However, I'm not too happy about the proliferation of self-check out counters the last few years, as I loved the convenience of having your groceries packed for you by supermarket staff. There is no such packing service in the Netherlands! I know packing is still available at Coles and Woolworths, but there is a clear push for people to use self check-out and I often face staff shortage issues for the full-service counters, adding unnecessary inconvenience to the check-out experience. I wonder what this means for the market share of Aldi, given that, apart from assortment size, a main point of difference from Coles and Woolworths is now moot (i.e., Aldi never packed, and Coles and Woolworths make it harder to get your groceries packed, meaning individuals might just go for low-price Aldi instead?). What do you think? Make sure to check out the video of Jan-Benedict Steenkamp!

📈 Read anyone else's posts sharing Kantar's latest 12 week share results and you'll learn that Sainsbury's have taken the lions share of the gains this time around... whilst Asda continue to shed share... 🎄 It sets up an interesting run into #christmas2023 but is it as interesting at looking at how the retailers have fared versus 10 years ago? 🏇 We tend to talk of the #discounters as being an overnight success but even 10 years ago Aldi UK and Lidl GB were already hard on the heels of the more affluent Waitrose & Partners! 🥈 December 2013 and executives at both Sainsbury's and Asda would have been focused on stealing a point's share to go to #2 as Tesco continued to rule the roost in the #uk despite Philip Clarke's best efforts to undo the legacy of Jack Cohen and Terry Leahy! 😉 btw - plot spoiler - Asda took second spot by March 2014! 👓 As part of the Big 4 Morrisons had a safe distance to their next nearest competitor. And with Co-op's estate focused on Convenience it's interesting to see how the shoots of recovery lie Morrisons ability to grow #convenienceretail in the next 24 months... 😯 According to Kantar... Ocado Retail Ltd didn't exist 10 years ago... giving hope that we might get Marks and Spencer included in the results sometime in 2024?!?... Stuart can you start lobbying them now? Anyway... back to 2023 and many retailers are playing on a more level playing field than ever before... giving Kevin the Carrot and his cronies hope for an 11% share again by mid-Feb... 🎅 My bets are on Tesco being the big winner this Christmas as they let off some giant #promotional cannons with 2 weeks to go... and with £10 Litre Bailey's (Diageo) it feels very much like 2013 already. See you on the otherside 🥂 #ukgrocery #grocery #retail