Coles Supermarkets
Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd, trading as Coles, is an Australian supermarket, retail and consumer services chain, headquartered in Melbourne as part of the Coles Group. Founded in 1914 in Collingwood by George Coles, Coles operates 846[2] supermarkets throughout Australia, including several now re-branded Bi-Lo Supermarkets. Coles has over 120,000 employees[2][3] and accounts for around 27 per cent of the Australian market.[4] Coles' large head office site in Melbourne's inner south-east has 4,000 employees of the workforce located inside.
This article is about the Australian supermarket chain. For its parent company, see Coles Group.Coles
1914
846 stores (2023)
Australia
- Leah Weckert (managing director)
- Curtis Stone (ambassador)
Winner of Supermarket Bowl III
A$21.644 billion (2018)
~120,000
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.[5]
In 2020, Coles changed its slogan to "Value the Australian way".
Radio[edit]
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 80s, 90s, 00s and current hits. 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.
Accusations of anti-competitive practices[edit]
Coles has been accused by suppliers of using heavy-handed tactics when dealing with its suppliers.[24] A 2004 investigation by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission 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.[25] In 2013, the ACCC was investigating both Coles and Woolworths over accusations that they used improper market practices to force down prices from suppliers.[25] These accusations further intensified on a February 2024 episode of news program Four Corners which exposed the accusations of price gouging with both Coles and their competitor Woolworths Supermarkets, forming an alleged duopoly colloquially known as Colesworth.[26]
Legal cases[edit]
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.[27]
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.[28]
In the past Coles had a variety of private labels, most notably Farmland and Embassy. Currently Coles has eight levels of generic or private label brands, although they plan to consolidate these into the basic Coles brand.[36] They also have a private clothing brand.