Woolworths Supermarkets
Woolworths
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryRetail
Founded22 September 1924 (1924-09-22)
Headquarters
Bella Vista, New South Wales
,
Australia
Number of locations
995[1] (2022)
Key people
Brad Banducci – CEO, Woolworths Group
Paul Graham – Chief Supply Chain Officer
Natalie Davis – Managing Director Stores, Woolworths Supermarkets[2]
ParentWoolworths Group
Websitewww.woolworths.com.au
A Woolworths Store in 1951 on Sydney Road, Manly

Woolworths Supermarkets (colloquially known in Australia as "Woolies") is an Australian chain of supermarkets and grocery stores owned by Woolworths Group. Founded in 1924, Woolworths today is Australia's biggest supermarket chain with a market share of 33% as of 2019.[3]

Woolworths specialises in groceries (vegetables, fruit, meat, packaged foods, etc.), but also sells magazines, DVDs, health and beauty products, household products, pet and baby supplies, and stationery. As at June 2023, there were 995 Woolworths supermarkets and 90 Woolworths Metro convenience stores.[1] Woolworths Online (formerly HomeShop) is a click and collect, and home delivery service for Woolworths supermarkets.

History

Woolworths Limited (now Woolworths Group) was founded on 22 September 1924 by five Australian entrepreneurs – Percy Christmas, Stanley Chatterton, Cecil Scott Waine, George Creed and Ernest Williams.[4] The first store was opened on 5 December 1924 in Pitt Street of Sydney's Imperial Arcade, called "Woolworths Stupendous Bargain Basement".[5] Following the first store there were only 29 shareholders and there was little interest to accelerate the brand's growth. However, as trading continued and shareholders brought more capital, the dividends paid by the company increased from 5% to 50% after its third year of operation.

Consumer interest in the company grew after December 1924, as more branches of the store were established across Australia. Woolworths stores began selling a variety of goods, claiming the lowest prices as well as money back guarantees.[6] At the forefront of innovation in Australia, Woolworths stores became the first variety store in the world to install receipt printing cash register machines in 1926.[7]

The second Woolworths supermarket was opened on 6 August 1927, on Queen Street, Brisbane.[8] The first Woolworths store in New Zealand was opened in 1929, but the chain has since been rebranded as Countdown (see also Woolworths (New Zealand supermarket chain)). Following the opening of the Hobart store in 1940, Woolworths had a store in every state in Australia.[9]

With the company and its stores running successfully, Woolworths began to experiment with expanding their grocery range – more stores began stocking fresh fruits and vegetables and a larger range of food. The first self-service store in Beverly Hills, Sydney was opened in 1955.[8] In 1958 the first supermarket was opened at Dee Why, followed by the first purpose-built supermarket at Warrawong Plaza in 1960.[10] As Woolworths gradually focused more on groceries, the first Big W department store was opened in 1964 at Jesmond, New South Wales.[11]

In 2018, Woolworths Group stopped providing single-use plastic bags during checkout at the same time as Coles Supermarkets, bringing them in line with Australia's third-biggest supermarket, Aldi.[12] In the following three months, Australian's plastic bag use dropped by 80%, leading to 1.5 billion fewer bags going to landfill.[13] Woolworths also committed to removing 180 tonnes of plastic packaging from their products in 2018.[14]

In September 2021, Woolworths launched an online marketplace called Everyday Market. The marketplace allows customers to purchase products from partnered companies, including products not normally sold in the supermarket.[15]

In May 2023, Woolworths acquired Milkrun, a fast grocery delivery startup which ceased operations the previous month and competed with the supermarket's Metro60 delivery service. Woolworths rebranded Metro60 as Milkrun.[16][17]

Acquisitions

In 1982, Woolworths Limited acquired two Tasmanian grocery brands: Roelf Vos and Purity, which were converted into Woolworths stores in 2000.

In 1958 Woolworths Limited acquired all 32 Brisbane Cash & Carry stores, which was a popular Brisbane grocery store chain. These were then later rebranded as Woolworths stores.[18]

After the arrival of American supermarket giant Safeway in Australia in 1962, Safeway Australia was bought by Woolworths in 1985. Woolworths Limited acquired all of the Safeway stores and the naming rights in exchange for a 20% equity interest in Woolworths Limited.[19][20] At the time of the acquisition, Safeway had 126 stores across Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales.[21] All Safeway stores in Queensland and New South Wales were rebranded as Woolworths supermarkets, but most Victorian stores continued trading as Safeway.[22] In 2008, Woolworths announced it would rebrand Safeway stores as Woolworths, and this process was completed in June 2017.[23]

Slogan

In 1987, Woolworths launched the "Fresh Food People" campaign after implementing new company protocols for their fresh food departments.[8] The slogan changed slightly in 2012 to "Australia's Fresh Food People" to promote the fact that 96% of fresh produce sold in Woolworths supermarkets is grown in Australia.[24] In 2014 the original "The Fresh Food People" slogan returned with a new lineup of television commercials. Various other catchphrases have been used in recent advertisements, including "That's Today's Fresh Food People", and "Get Your Woolies Worth."

Loyalty schemes

Loyalty schemes include a number of incentives for purchasing at their stores by subsidising petrol prices at Caltex Woolworths petrol stations and the now defunct Woolworths Plus Petrol. Discounts included 2-cent, 4-cent, 6-cent and in some regional areas 10-cent discounts on fuel, rewarded for purchases over certain amounts.

Everyday Rewards

In September 2007, Woolworths began a trial in central-west New South Wales of Everyday Rewards, a Woolworths shopping card that automatically tracks supermarket purchases and fuel discounts, thus eliminating the need for shoppers to retain paper coupons.[25] In addition it allows Woolworths to record purchases made by customers to offer them relevant promotions and for studies in demographics and marketing,[26] hence incentives for customers who register their details.

In February 2008, following the New South Wales trial, Woolworths announced that its Everyday Rewards card would be rolled out nationally. The implementation began with South Australia and Northern Territory in mid-February 2008, and to other states (excluding Tasmania)[27] by the end of May 2008.[28] In August 2009, Woolworths announced that there were 3.8 million cards registered, of which 1.2 million were linked to a Qantas Frequent Flyer account.[29]

A Woolworths vehicle parked in Westminster, Western Australia.

Frequent Shopper Club

The Frequent Shopper Club, stylised as F$C, was a reward program for shopping in Woolworths stores in Tasmania. It was started by Purity Supermarkets in 1992, and was in use until January 2021.[30][31] In July 2020, Woolworths announced that the program would be folded into the Everyday Rewards program.[32]

Credit card

In 2007, Woolworths announced that it was planning to launch a general purpose credit card in 2008.[33] Woolworths offered these credit card holders reward vouchers redeemable throughout its store network.[34] Woolworths subsequently announced that the Woolworths Everyday Money MasterCard would be launched on 26 August 2008, allowing customers to earn shopping cards redeemable at Woolworths Group retailers.[35][36]

Private label brands

Woolworths has a range of generic or private label brands:

  • Essentials

A budget label covering everyday household products and groceries. Products within this range typically feature a red and white Woolworths logo on the top left corner on the front side of the packaging.[37]

  • Woolworths Food Range

Woolworths' most populous own brand range, it features food lines in all categories across the store. Products in this range feature a green and white logo. Customer can become part of a food sampling group called "Bunch" in order to test foods within this range and provide feedback to make improvements.[38]

  • Gold

This own brand features premium products which are usually only available around Christmas time, and include products such as Christmas puddings, fruit mince pies and cakes.[39]

  • Macro Wholefoods Market

Macro features a range of foods that are free from artificial sweeteners, colours, flavours, added MSG and hydrogenated oils. Many products in this range are promoted as organic foods.[40] The brand was acquired by Woolworths in 2009, along with nine store leases in New South Wales and Victoria originally intended for use by its Thomas Dux business. As a result of the ceasing of operations of Thomas Dux in 2017 only two of the former Macro Wholefoods sites are still leased by Woolworths, from 2017 being used as Woolworths Metro supermarkets. However, in 2021 one of the sites, in Black Rock, Victoria, was closed and is thought to be being replaced by a BWS or Dan Murphy's liquor outlet. Despite the closure of the sites, the brand is still sold in Woolworths supermarkets today.[41]

  • Delicious Nutritious

This range is a collaboration between Woolworths and Australian personal trainer Michelle Bridges. The range is exclusively chilled and frozen meals, all of which include 2–3 serves of vegetables, grains and protein, and are all under 450 calories per serve.[42]

  • The Odd Bunch

This is a fresh produce brand which features fruit and vegetables, such as carrots, lemons and apples, that are oddly shaped or are otherwise imperfect. These products are sold at a cheaper price as a compromise to this.[43]

Supermarkets

Sub-brands

A Countdown supermarket in New Zealand
  • Countdown is the trading name in New Zealand. Woolworths also operated supermarket brands Foodtown and Woolworths until November 2011, which were rebranded as Countdown. On 18 July 2023, it was announced by Woolworths Group that Countdown will be rebranded Woolworths from early 2024.[45]
A Woolworths Metro store in Sydney
  • Woolworths Metro is a chain of small format grocery stores launched in 2013. The first store opened in Sydney, and the chain now has over 90 stores across Australia as of August 2023. Three of them are former Thomas Dux stores, while others are mostly placed within central business districts.
A Woolworths MetroGo store at an Ampol service station
  • Ampol Woolworths MetroGo is a chain of smaller Woolworths Metro convenience stores launched in March 2022, and are found exclusively in some Ampol service stations.[46][47] These stores are owned and operated by Ampol (and previously Caltex Australia), and were first launched in November 2019 as Woolworths Metro stores.[48] The chain now has over 50 stores across Australia as of August 2023. On 28 August 2023, it was announced in the 2023 Half Year Results that all 50 Ampol Woolworths MetroGo stores will be rebranded to Foodary.[49]

Defunct

  • Flemings was a chain of supermarkets in Sydney and the Central Coast. On 19 May 2020, the final store in Jannali closed and was replaced with a Woolworths Metro store.[50]
  • Food For Less was a discount supermarket chain located in Queensland and New South Wales. Since 2010 stores were either closed or rebranded to Woolworths, with the last store rebranded in 2018.
  • Safeway was the trading name of Woolworths for most of their Victorian stores until 2017 (see § Acquisitions).
  • Thomas Dux was launched in 2008 in two New South Wales locations. The stores had a larger fresh food offering than traditional Woolworths stores, along with a larger delicatessen section.[51] At its peak the chain had 11 stores. From 2014, the stores gradually closed and the chain ceased operation in late 2017. Three of the stores were retained under the "Woolworths Metro" brand; the other seven were either closed entirely or sold to other businesses. In 2021 however, the former Thomas Dux site at Black Rock, Victoria, which was retained as a "Woolworths Metro" store, was closed and is thought to be being replaced by a BWS or Dan Murphy's liquor outlet.
  • Caltex Woolworths, a joint venture with Ampol (previously Caltex Australia), operated service stations across Australia. Woolworths sold the operation to the EG Group in April 2019 which has since be renamed EG Australia. Woolworths and EG entered a 15-year agreement that would maintain its fuel discount redemption across the network, and enable Woolworths Rewards points to be earned on fuel transactions across its network.[52]
  • Caltex Safeway operated service stations in Victoria until it was converted to Caltex Woolworths in 2008–2010.
  • Roelf Vos and Purity were trading names used in Tasmania prior to being rebranded as Woolworths in 2000.
  • Woolworths Supermarket Liquor (including former Safeway Liquor in Victoria) was a liquor division of Woolworths with stores attached to its supermarkets, until all 475 stores were rebranded as BWS in 2012–2013.[53][54]

Controversies

2020 spam marketing controversy

In July 2020, Woolworths were found guilty of breaching spam laws in excess of 5 million times and failing to unsubscribe customers from their mailing lists when requested to do so. The Australian Communications & Media Authority (ACMA) found Woolworths had unlawfully spammed more than a million customers between October 2018 and July 2019.[55] The supermarket was found to have repeatedly ignored consumers who had tried to prevent receipt of marketing emails and had not attempted to improve, despite the AMCA notifying the company that they had received customer complaints. The company was fined $1,003,800.[55]

ACMA chairman Nerida O'Loughlin said of the violation:

"The spam rules have been in place for 17 years and Woolworths is a large and sophisticated organisation. The scale and prolonged nature of the non-compliance is inexcusable."[55]

Wages

In 2019, Woolworths admitted to having not paid millions of dollars to its employees.[56]

Conversion of Full Format Stores to Woolworths Metro Stores

Woolworths has recently come under intense scrutiny for converting some of its full-size stores into the smaller Woolworths Metro format stores. Woolworths Metro stores typically stock a lesser range of products and have a different pricing structure than the full format stores. [57]

In August 2023, residents in Alexandria (NSW) protested the planned conversion of their local Woolworths to a Woolworths Metro. A petition, promoted by local community groups, gathered over 1.6k signatures, with support from the current City of Sydney Mayor, Clover Moore. Despite the community feedback, Woolworths pushed through with the Metro conversion.[58][59]

Australia Day

On 10 January 2024, Woolworths Group announced that Woolworths Supermarkets and Big W will no longer be stocking Australia Day-themed merchandise, citing declining sales and the broader discussion about the national holiday.[60]

Liberal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton called for a Boycott on Woolworths for its decision.[61][62][63][64]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "2022 Annual Report" (PDF). Woolworths Group. August 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  2. ↑ "Group Executive Committee". Woolworths Group. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  3. ↑ "Looking beyond the panic-buying, Australia's big supermarket story is Aldi's growing market share". Roy Morgan. 24 March 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  4. ↑ Davidson, Grant (30 April 2018). "The inspiration behind 10 of Australia's iconic brand names". Davidson Branding. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  5. ↑ "Our Story: 1924 September". Woolworths Supermarkets. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  6. ↑ "Our Story: 1924 December". Woolworths Supermarkets. Archived from the original on 11 July 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  7. ↑ "Our Story: 1926 Printing Cash Registers". Woolworths Supermarkets. Archived from the original on 27 March 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  8. 1 2 3 "Our History: The Woolworths Story". Woolworths Group. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  9. ↑ "Our Story: 1940 Woolworths Expands to Tasmania". Woolworths Supermarkets. Archived from the original on 30 March 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  10. ↑ Murray, James (1999). The Woolworths Way. A Great Australian Success Story 1924-1999. New South Wales: Focus Publishing. pp. 103–108. ISBN 1-875359-540.
  11. ↑ Wolski, Gilllian (17 November 2020). "Big W reveals major twist in brand's 50-year history". Yahoo Lifestyle. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  12. ↑ "Woolworths brings forward plastic bag ban". SBS News. 4 April 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  13. ↑ Khalil, Shireen (4 December 2018). "We have saved 1.5 billion plastic bags from landfill". News Mail. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  14. ↑ Woolworths Group (1 August 2018). "2018 Annual Report" (PDF). Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  15. ↑ Blake, Dean (27 September 2021). "Woolworths' Everyday Market launches nationwide". Inside Retail. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  16. ↑ Barrett, Jonathan (25 May 2023). "Woolworths buys MilkRun with plan to resurrect collapsed fast grocery delivery service". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  17. ↑ Bonyhady, Nick (24 May 2023). "Milkrun bet it could beat Woolies. Now it's part of it". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  18. ↑ "1923 Brisbane Cash and Carry opens -". Australian Food Timeline. 16 September 1920. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  19. ↑ The 70-year battle that changed Australian retailing Australian Financial Review
  20. ↑ O'Connell, Jan (24 September 1980). "1985 Woolworths buys Safeway". Australian Food History Timeline. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  21. ↑ Prevor, Jim (2 November 2007). "How Woolworths Started & Grew" (PDF). Perishable Pundit. p. 31. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  22. ↑ "Our Story". Woolworths Supermarkets. Archived from the original on 13 September 2008. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  23. ↑ Powell, Dominic (6 June 2017). "Last Safeway shuts up shop... GDP growth at 0.3%... Kogan has plans for NBN market". SmartCompany. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  24. ↑ "Woolworths unveils fresh 'fresh food' campaign". Inside Retail. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  25. ↑ "Fuel change on the cards". Australian Financial Review. 6 September 2007. p. 20.
  26. ↑ "Everyday Rewards Customer Charter". Woolworths Everyday Rewards. Archived from the original on 19 July 2008. Retrieved 23 August 2008.
  27. ↑ "Everyday Rewards terms and conditions". Woolworths. Archived from the original on 20 February 2011. Retrieved 29 January 2009.
  28. ↑ "Woolies revs up discount petrol war". Australian Financial Review. 11 February 2008. pp. 1, 15.
  29. ↑ "Company Results: Full Year ended 28 June 2009" (PDF). Woolworths Limited. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  30. ↑ Smith, Linda (18 July 2009). "Tassie misses rewards". The Mercury. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  31. ↑ "Frequent Shopper Club". www.frequentshopperclub.com.au. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  32. ↑ Chamberlin, Chris (27 July 2020). "Woolworths Rewards lands in Tasmania". Executive Traveller. Archived from the original on 17 August 2020. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  33. ↑ Carson, Vanda (27 August 2007). "Now it's Woolworths the credit card people". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 6 June 2007.
  34. ↑ "Retailers take on the banks…again". Australian Financial Review. 30 January 2008. pp. 1, 61.
  35. ↑ "Woolworths launches new credit card". news.com.au. 18 August 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2008.
  36. ↑ "Woolies MasterCard debuts in two weeks". The Sheet. 15 August 2008. Archived from the original on 14 August 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2008.
  37. ↑ "Essentials". Woolworths Supermarkets. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  38. ↑ "Woolworths Food Range". Woolworths Supermarkets. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  39. ↑ "Gold". Woolworths Supermarkets. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  40. ↑ "Macro Wholefoods Market". Woolworths Supermarkets. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  41. ↑ Mitchell, Sue (3 December 2009). "Woolies launches Macro brand". Australian Financial Review.
  42. ↑ "Delicious Nutritious". Woolworths Supermarkets. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  43. ↑ "The Odd Bunch". Woolworths Supermarkets. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  44. ↑ "Gandel and Colonial Open $140 Million Wing of Chadstone Shopping Centre". Archived from the original on 25 January 2009. Retrieved 5 February 2009.
  45. ↑ "Countdown to Woolworths". Woolworths Group (Australia). 18 July 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  46. ↑ "MetroGo shifts into gear as Ampol and Woolworths Metro rebrand convenience stores". Ampol. 17 March 2022. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  47. ↑ "Ampol Woolworths MetroGo". Woolworths. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  48. ↑ "Caltex and Woolworths Welcome Customers to The New Age of Convenience". Ampol. 13 November 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
  49. ↑ "ASX Release 2023: Half Year Results Presentation". Ampol. 21 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  50. ↑ Trembath, Murray (8 May 2020). "Farewell Flemings | Jannali grocery store last to close". St George & Sutherland Shire Leader. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  51. ↑ "Woolworths to launch new grocery chain". Inside Retailing. 13 December 2007. Archived from the original on 20 April 2009. Retrieved 19 December 2007.
  52. ↑ "Woolworths Group to sell Petrol business and enter into commercial alliance with EG Group". Woolworths Group. 9 November 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  53. ↑ "Annual Report 2013" (PDF). Woolworths Limited. p. 21. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  54. ↑ "Company Results Half Year Ended 30 December 2012" (PDF). Woolworths Limited. p. 19. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  55. 1 2 3 Mills Turbet, Hanna (1 July 2020). "Woolworths hit with record $1 million fine for spamming customers". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  56. ↑ Bonyhady, Nick (18 June 2021). "Wages ombudsman takes Woolworths to court over underpayments". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  57. ↑ Brook, Benedict (30 June 2023). "Wages ombudsman takes Woolworths to court over underpayments". news.com.au. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  58. ↑ https://www.9news.com.au/finance/supermarket-coles-woolworths-profits-consumer-expense-inflation-interest-rates/178f1e88-2206-40ac-b288-714342877d52#:~:text=Coles%20and%20Woolworths%20both%20claimed,increase%20in%20grocery%20product%20costs. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  59. ↑ https://www.9news.com.au/national/more-woolworths-metro-stores-to-roll-out-across-suburb-sydney-suburbs/cdb98160-32ae-4545-9a59-95b62722471d. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  60. ↑ Antrobus, Blake (10 January 2024). "Woolworths dumps Australia Day merchandise from all stores, cites 'gradual decline' in demand". The Australian. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  61. ↑ []
  62. ↑ []
  63. ↑ []
  64. ↑ []
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