Coles Supermarkets

Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd, doing business as Coles, is an Australian supermarket, retail and consumer services chain, headquartered in Melbourne as part of Coles Group. Founded in 1914 in the suburb of Collingwood by Sir George Coles, the company currently operates 846<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> supermarkets throughout Australia, including several now-re-branded Bi-Lo stores. Coles has over 120,000 employees<ref name=":0"/><ref name="ColesMarket">Template:Cite news Template:Author missing</ref> and accounts for around 27 per cent of the Australian market.<ref>Template:Cite web Template:Date missing</ref>

Coles Online is the company's online shopping ('click & collect' and home delivery) service.

Between 1986 and 2006, Coles Supermarkets was a brand of Coles Myer, later Coles Group, prior to Wesfarmers purchasing Coles Group in 2007. It became a subsidiary of Coles Group again after Wesfarmers spun off the business in November 2018.<ref name="coleslisting">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2020, Coles changed its slogan to "Value the Australian way".

History

George Coles learned the retail trade working for his father's 'Coles Store' business from 1910 to 1913. (The store continued operating as "The Original Coles" at Wilmot, Tasmania until it was destroyed by a fire on 24 January 2014.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>) Coles itself was founded when George Coles opened the Coles Variety Store on 9 April 1914 on Smith Street in the Melbourne suburb of Collingwood. Further expansion occurred and Coles' interest in food retailing was spurred in 1958 when it acquired 54 John Connell Dickins grocery stores. It then acquired the Beilby's chain in South Australia in 1959 and 265 Matthews Thompson grocery stores in New South Wales in 1960.<ref name="encyc">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1960, the first supermarket (trading under the Dickins name) was opened in the Melbourne suburb of Balwyn North, at the corner of Burke and Doncaster Roads where a modernised version continues to operate. From 1962, its supermarkets were branded Coles New World with accompanying Space Age-themed imagery.<ref name="eMelb">Template:Cite web</ref> By 1973, Coles had established stores in all Australian capital cities. In 1991, the stores were rebranded Coles Supermarkets and from 1998, simply as Coles.

In 2004, the liquor division office (Coles Liquor Group), was moved from Chullora in Sydney to the company head office in Hawthorn East, Melbourne. With Coles Myer CEO John Fletcher citing the move for better efficiency between the food and liquor departments. It also resulted in Craig Watkins (35-year veteran and director of Coles Liquor) retiring from the company.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

From mid 2006, many Bi-Lo supermarkets were badged as Coles Supermarkets. Newmart supermarkets, under which Bi-Lo traded in Western Australia, were badged as Coles Supermarkets in 2002–2003. Newmart stores co-located with Coles in the same area or shopping centre were sold to Foodland and re-branded as the now-defunct Action Supermarkets chain. The conversion program was put on hold at Easter 2007.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In July 2007, Wesfarmers agreed terms to purchase Coles Group for $22 billion. The purchase was completed in early 2008.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In August 2007, as Wesfarmers foreshadowed its plans for the restructuring of Coles Group following its anticipated takeover, it stated that one of three planned divisions would comprise supermarkets, liquor and convenience stores.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

From 2008 to 2014, Coles was run by UK retailer Ian McLeod.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In February 2011, Coles acquired National Australia Bank's 50 per cent interest in Australia's largest loyalty program Flybuys, giving it 100% ownership.<ref name="Colesbuy">Template:Cite news</ref> In September 2011, Coles commenced stocking private-label clothing in its stores with several stores receiving refits to accommodate the range.<ref name="heraldsunmix">Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2018 Wesfarmers announced its intention to demerge the Coles business, seeking to retain only a 20% interest going forward.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2018, Steven Cain was appointed as CEO of the Coles Supermarket brand as part of the demerger of Coles from Wesfarmers.

Coles deployed its first electric truck in April 2022.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The first fully electric delivery vans followed in August 2023.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In April 2023, Coles opened its first Witron-powered automated distribution centre in Redbank, Queensland.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the second half of 2024, two highly-automated Template:Convert customer fulfilment centres powered by Ocado technology were opened in Truganina, Victoria and Wetherill Park, New South Wales.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A second Witron distribution centre was opened in Kemps Creek, New South Wales in August 2024,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and construction of a third in Truganina was announced in October 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the same month, Coles deployed their fully electric prime mover truck.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Advertising and branding

A Coles supermarket in a shopping centre in Warwick, Western Australia

A Coles store in Glenfield Park, New South Wales

A Coles store at a shopping centre in Hawthorn, Victoria

A Coles store in Engadine, New South Wales

Coles' original slogan was "nothing over 2/6", when it was primarily operating variety stores. The slogan "You'll find the best value is at Coles New World" was used in the 1980s. The red/orange orb was used from 1991 to 2005, although store signs continued to use the orb up until the early 2010s. "Serving you better" was used as a slogan from 1998 to 2003, replaced by "save everyday", endorsed by actress Lisa McCune. A circled tick was used as a logo device from 2003 to 2007, replacing the orb as a primary device in 2005.Template:Citation needed "Save everyday" was later changed to the grammatically correct "save every day".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2007, the slogan and circle tick were discontinued with simply the Coles name used in preparation for a new red ball logo to match proposed Coles Group livery, which was shelved later in the year as the business was sold. A number of tag lines were employed in the next few years: "Something better every day", "Proudly Australian since 1914" (introduced with its TV sponsorship of the 2008 Summer Olympics),<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> "Cutting the cost of your shopping", "Quality food costs less at Coles" and "It all counts".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The slogan "Good things are happening at Coles" was rolled out in 2018, and its current slogan "Value the Australian way" was employed in 2020.

In the 1960s, Coles sponsored a general knowledge quiz show, Coles £3000 Question (later Coles $6000 Question and Coles $7000 Question) which aired on Channel 7.<ref name=eMelb/>

In 2010, Coles launched a new sub-slogan, "Down Down, Prices Are Down", featuring a large red cartoon hand pointing downwards to symbolise the chain's low-price policy. The slogan incorporated the tune of "Down Down", a 1975 hit by British rockers Status Quo.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2011, the campaign was revised to the fit the tune of Petula Clark's 1964 hit "Downtown".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but reverted to "Down Down" later in the year. In 2012, it used Status Quo, which originally recorded the song in 1975, singing and speaking in the newest ad in the series. In February 2016, Coles updated the "Down Down" campaign again, to the tune of "That's Amore" ("it's a Down Down"). In May 2017 the "Down Down" campaign was again refreshed with Australian Idol and reality-TV contestant Casey Donovan with a new disco version of the advertisement.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This was ultimately dropped in March 2018, with Coles commercials (mostly on its in-store radio known as Coles Radio) using "Best of My Love" by The Emotions, a hit disco song from 1977, instead.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Radio station

Coles Radio is the brand name for the in-store radio station heard across all Coles' supermarkets. It is owned and operated in partnership with broadcaster Nova Entertainment and adopts a hot adult contemporary format, featuring a playlist consisting of pop hits from the 1980s, '90s, 2000s and current hits. The station has one announcer, Meg Alexander, throughout the workday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The station is also available outside stores via Coles' website, the Nova Player app and on DAB+ digital radio, making it accessible in many newer car models. It was launched in 2014.<ref>Coles launches radio station with DMG hitting 14 million customers Mumbrella 24 January 2014</ref>

Accusations of anti-competitive practices

Coles has been accused by suppliers of using heavy-handed tactics when dealing with its suppliers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A 2004 investigation by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) did not result in any action being brought against Coles and Woolworths. A 2012 investigation in which suppliers were offered anonymity is believed to have uncovered unethical practices.<ref name="Greenblatt">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2013, the ACCC was investigating both Coles and Woolworths over accusations that they used improper market practices to force down prices from suppliers.<ref name="Greenblatt"/> These accusations further intensified on a February 2024 episode of news program Four Corners, which exposed accusations of price gouging between both Coles and Woolworths Supermarkets, which form an alleged duopoly colloquially known as Colesworth.<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref>

Price gouging and supplier swindling

Template:NPOV-section Coles and Woolworths, the two largest supermarket chains in Australia responsible for controlling over two thirds of the market share, have recently come under fire on accusations of price gouging. They have also been accused of allegedly forcing suppliers to increase their supplies in order to buy goods at lower prices, during a time which the economy is at the brink of entering a recession and people are facing a cost of living crisis. In a Senate Inquiry,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Greens Senator Nick McKim, the chair of the committee, highlighted that the actions of Coles and Woolworths resulted in serious harm to the people of Australia, off the profiteering these supermarket chains have done manipulating food prices. One of the key recommendations that was made in this enquiry is to ensure that price gouging will be made illegal.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Legal cases

A 2014 Federal Court of Australia case ruled that Coles "threatened harm to suppliers if they didn't meet their demands," and ordered the chain to pay $10 million in penalties.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2015, the Federal Court of Australia fined Coles $2.5 million for making misleading claims in relation to the sale of its par-baked bread products.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In September 2024, the ACCC brought legal action against Coles, accusing the supermarket of misleading customers on discounts through their Down Down promotions.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Notable promotions

A Coles Express petrol station

• 4-cents-per-litre fuel offer: When a customer spends $30 or more in a single transaction at a Coles, Bi-Lo, Pick'n'Pay or Liquorland, they receive a four-cent discount coupon on their receipt or flybuys account for use at Coles Express service stations. This practice has been criticised by competition law experts who argue that people pay higher petrol and grocery prices to fund these discounts.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

• Shoppers can collect flybuys loyalty program points at Coles Group businesses.
• Between 1991 and 1993, Coles Supermarkets ran a promotion in conjunction with Apple Inc. and 12 major suppliers entitled "Apples for Students", where students collected grocery dockets and returned them to their participating school, and once a certain value had been reached the school would be provided with a free Macintosh computer. Seventy per cent of Australia's schools and kindergartens participated and gained more than 25,000 computers, equipment and software worth $13.6 million.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• In 2010, Coles Supermarkets ran a similar program called "Sports for Schools" which customers collected coupons to hand in to their school in exchange for sports equipment. The program was run again in 2011, 2012, 2018<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Full citation needed and 2020.<ref name="Coles Sports for Schools Program">Template:Cite news</ref>
• In 2018, Coles ran a collectibles promotion called Little Shop featuring mini-sized grocery items. Competitor Woolworths stated the success of the promotion led to reduced customer visits to its stores.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Due to the success of the campaign, Coles re-invigorated the promotion with the collectables returning for the Christmas period.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Coles actively supported the Yes case for the 2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Private label brands

Current private label brands

Coles has several generic or private label brands:

Coles

A mid-price line, replacing the 'You'll love Coles' brand. Designed to match established branded products.

Coles Simply

Coles Simply logo

A value brand<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> that competes with Woolworths Essentials, Metcash Black & Gold and FoodWorks Best Buy.

Coles Finest

Coles Finest logo

A premium brand launched in 2006, with a small range of gourmet foods.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Promoted as of greater quality than many well-known branded products and often more expensive.

Coles Organic

A range of products grown and processed without the use of synthetic chemicals, fertilisers, pesticides or herbicides, approved by official certified organisations.

Coles Ultra

A range of higher-end cleaning products above the Coles Simply range.

Former private label brands

In the past Coles had a variety of private labels including:

• Coles Green Choice: A range of household products which claim to be environmentally responsible, with a donation being made to Clean Up Australia with every one of its products sold.

• Embassy
• Farmland
• Mix<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Savings
• Simply Gluten Free<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Simply Less<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Smart Buy
• You'll love Coles

See also

• List of supermarket chains in Oceania
• Pick n Pay Stores

External links

• Template:Official website